Philip Miller
Encyclopedia
Philip Miller FRS
(1691 – 18 December 1771) was a Scottish
botanist
.
Miller was chief gardener at the Chelsea Physic Garden
from 1722 until he was pressured to retire shortly before his death. According to the botanist Peter Collinson, who visited the Physic Garden in July 1764 and recorded his observation in his commonplace books, Miller "has raised the reputation of the Chelsea Garden so much that it excels all the gardens of Europe for its amazing variety of plants of all orders and classes and from all climates..." He wrote The Gardener's and Florists Dictionary or a Complete System of Horticulture (1724) and The Gardener's Dictionary containing the Methods of Cultivating and Improving the Kitchen Fruit and Flower Garden, which first appeared in 1731 in an impressive folio and passed through eight expanding editions in his lifetime and was translated to Dutch by Job Baster
.
Miller corresponded with other botanists, and obtained plants from all over the world, many of which he cultivated for the first time in England and is credited as their introducer. His knowledge of living plants, for which he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, was unsurpassed in breadth in his lifetime. He trained William Aiton
, who later became head gardener at Kew
, and William Forsyth, after whom Forsythia
was named. The fourth Duke of Bedford contracted him to supervising the pruning of fruit trees at Woburn Abbey
and the care of his prized collection of American trees, especially evergreens, which were grown from seeds that, on Miller's suggestion, had been sent in barrels from Pennsylvania, where they had been collected by John Bartram
. Through a consortium of sixty subscribers, 1733-66, the contents of Bartram's boxes introduced such American trees as Abies balsamea and Pinus rigida into English gardens.
Miller was reluctant to use the new binomial nomenclature
of Carolus Linnaeus
, preferring the classifications of Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
and John Ray
at first. Linnaeus, nevertheless, applauded Miller's Gardeners Dictionary, The conservative Scot actually retained a number of pre-Linnaean binomial signifiers discarded by Linnaeus but which have been retained by modern botantists. He only fully changed to the Linnaean system in the edition of The Gardeners Dictionary
of 1768, though he had already described some genera, such as Larix
and Vanilla
, validly under the Linnaean system earlier, in the fourth edition (1754).
Miller sent the first long-strand cotton seeds, which he had developed, to the new British colony of Georgia in 1733. They were first planted on Sea Island
, off the coast of Georgia, and hence derived the name of the finest cotton, Sea Island Cotton.
The presumed portrait, engraved by C.J. Maillet and affixed to the posthumous French edition of Miller's Gardeners Dictionary, 1787, shows the wrong Miller, John Miller, son of the London-based Nuremberg artist Johann Sebastian Muller. No authentic portrait is known.
Miller's two sons worked under him, one, Charles
, became the first head of the Cambridge Botanic Garden.
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
(1691 – 18 December 1771) was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
botanist
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
.
Miller was chief gardener at the Chelsea Physic Garden
Chelsea Physic Garden
The Chelsea Physic Garden was established as the Apothecaries’ Garden in London, England in 1673. It is the second oldest botanical garden in Britain, after the University of Oxford Botanic Garden, which was founded in 1621.Its rock garden is the oldest English garden devoted to alpine plants...
from 1722 until he was pressured to retire shortly before his death. According to the botanist Peter Collinson, who visited the Physic Garden in July 1764 and recorded his observation in his commonplace books, Miller "has raised the reputation of the Chelsea Garden so much that it excels all the gardens of Europe for its amazing variety of plants of all orders and classes and from all climates..." He wrote The Gardener's and Florists Dictionary or a Complete System of Horticulture (1724) and The Gardener's Dictionary containing the Methods of Cultivating and Improving the Kitchen Fruit and Flower Garden, which first appeared in 1731 in an impressive folio and passed through eight expanding editions in his lifetime and was translated to Dutch by Job Baster
Job Baster
Job Baster was a Dutch physician and naturalist who devoted himself almost entirely to the study of medicine and natural history.-Biography:...
.
Miller corresponded with other botanists, and obtained plants from all over the world, many of which he cultivated for the first time in England and is credited as their introducer. His knowledge of living plants, for which he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, was unsurpassed in breadth in his lifetime. He trained William Aiton
William Aiton
William Aiton was a Scottish botanist.Aiton was born near Hamilton. Having been regularly trained to the profession of a gardener, he travelled to London in 1754, and became assistant to Philip Miller, then superintendent of the Chelsea Physic Garden...
, who later became head gardener at Kew
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
, and William Forsyth, after whom Forsythia
Forsythia
Forsythia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Oleaceae . There are about 11 species, mostly native to eastern Asia, but one native to southeastern Europe. The common name is also Forsythia; the genus is named after William Forsyth.-Growth:They are deciduous shrubs typically growing to a...
was named. The fourth Duke of Bedford contracted him to supervising the pruning of fruit trees at Woburn Abbey
Woburn Abbey
Woburn Abbey , near Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, is a country house, the seat of the Duke of Bedford and the location of the Woburn Safari Park.- Pre-20th century :...
and the care of his prized collection of American trees, especially evergreens, which were grown from seeds that, on Miller's suggestion, had been sent in barrels from Pennsylvania, where they had been collected by John Bartram
John Bartram
*Hoffmann, Nancy E. and John C. Van Horne, eds., America’s Curious Botanist: A Tercentennial Reappraisal of John Bartram 1699-1777. Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society, vol. 243. ....
. Through a consortium of sixty subscribers, 1733-66, the contents of Bartram's boxes introduced such American trees as Abies balsamea and Pinus rigida into English gardens.
Miller was reluctant to use the new binomial nomenclature
Binomial nomenclature
Binomial nomenclature is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, although they can be based on words from other languages...
of Carolus Linnaeus
Carolus Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus , also known after his ennoblement as , was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern taxonomy, and is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology...
, preferring the classifications of Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
Joseph Pitton de Tournefort was a French botanist, notable as the first to make a clear definition of the concept of genus for plants.- Biography :...
and John Ray
John Ray
John Ray was an English naturalist, sometimes referred to as the father of English natural history. Until 1670, he wrote his name as John Wray. From then on, he used 'Ray', after "having ascertained that such had been the practice of his family before him".He published important works on botany,...
at first. Linnaeus, nevertheless, applauded Miller's Gardeners Dictionary, The conservative Scot actually retained a number of pre-Linnaean binomial signifiers discarded by Linnaeus but which have been retained by modern botantists. He only fully changed to the Linnaean system in the edition of The Gardeners Dictionary
The Gardeners Dictionary
The Gardeners Dictionary was a widely cited reference series, written by Philip Miller, which tended to focus on plants cultivated in England. Many editions of the series were published.-Editions:-References:**-External links:*...
of 1768, though he had already described some genera, such as Larix
Larch
Larches are conifers in the genus Larix, in the family Pinaceae. Growing from 15 to 50m tall, they are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the north and high on mountains further south...
and Vanilla
Vanilla (orchid)
Vanilla, the vanilla orchids, form a flowering plant genus of about 110 species in the orchid family . The most widely known member is the Flat-leaved Vanilla , from which commercial vanilla flavoring is derived. It is the only orchid widely used for industrial purposes...
, validly under the Linnaean system earlier, in the fourth edition (1754).
Miller sent the first long-strand cotton seeds, which he had developed, to the new British colony of Georgia in 1733. They were first planted on Sea Island
Sea Island, Georgia
Sea Island is an affluent resort island located in the barrier islands just off the Atlantic coast of southern Georgia in the United States. The resort complex is located in an unincorporated Glynn County....
, off the coast of Georgia, and hence derived the name of the finest cotton, Sea Island Cotton.
The presumed portrait, engraved by C.J. Maillet and affixed to the posthumous French edition of Miller's Gardeners Dictionary, 1787, shows the wrong Miller, John Miller, son of the London-based Nuremberg artist Johann Sebastian Muller. No authentic portrait is known.
Miller's two sons worked under him, one, Charles
Charles Miller
-Sportsmen:*Charlie Miller , Major League Baseball player*Charlie Miller , Major League Baseball player*Charlie Miller , Scottish footballer...
, became the first head of the Cambridge Botanic Garden.