- 20th century
The commemorative plaque of Jan Říha (1853-1933), an important botanist and specialist in fruit varieties, is situated in the place where he worked in Chlumec nad Cidlinou in the street that bears his name.
Jan Říha was one of the most important Czech pomologists and plant breeders. He is the author of a number of new varieties of fruit trees and shrubs and also the author of popular works on plant breeding and fruit growing. In addition to his own plant breeding and research work, one of his most important achievements was the establishment and operation of a fruit-growing school in Chlumec nad Cidlinou, where he collected more than 2,000 fruit varieties, and he also founded the future fruit-growing arboretum in Průhonice near Prague. His name was well known abroad and during his career he created several very successful varieties of mainly fruit trees, the most famous of which today is probably the so-called Vacek sour cherry, which Jan Říha named after the local mayor. Among today`s pomologists, i.e. fruit tree experts, as well as among amateur growers, Říha is also known for his monumental five-volume atlas The Czech Fruit.
- References
HANÁKOVÁ, J.: Historie a vývoj pomologie v Čechách a na Moravě. Bakalářská práce, Mendelova zemědělská a lesnická univerzita v Brně 2007
ŘEZNÍČEK, V; SALAŠ P.; LUŽNÝ J.: České osobnosti šlechtění a výzkumu okrasných, ovocných rostlin a révy vinné ve XX. Století. Brno 2002
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