Orchids and Butterflies: The Life and Times of Theodore Mead

The story of a man who transformed ornamental horticulture in America.

In this historically accurate biography, Paul Butler paints a vivid picture of the life and times of Theodore Mead. As a young man he hunted butterflies in Colorado, discovering dozens of new species. Later, as a Florida citrus and tropical plant grower, he amassed a huge collection of orchids and imported ornamental plants from all over the world, cross-breeding them to produce new varieties.

Life was anything but easy as a pioneering settler in Florida. He faced bouts of malaria, the harrowing loss of his only daughter to scarlet fever, the catastrophic financial damage of the great citrus freeze of 1894/95, and the brutal excesses of the Medfly crisis of 1929/30.

Theodore Mead helped keep Florida a "Land of Flowers," and was one of America's most distinguished entomologists and horticulturists. But despite this success, a significant part of his life remained unfulfilled. Orchids & Butterflies is ultimately the story of one man's search for meaning in life.

Author: Paul Butler
Publisher: Little Red Hen, Incorporated
Published: 01/01/2017
Pages: 372
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 2.18lbs
Size: 10.00h x 8.00w x 1.01d
ISBN: 9780997966688

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