6 
encouragement of the growth of new and important agricul- 
tural products, exotic vegetables, and tropical plants.” 
Such a document as this affords the best evidence of the care 
with which the American government attends to whatever 
may increase its resources, or contribute to the welfare of its 
people. It is noticed here partly for the intrinsic value of 
the information it contains, and partly because it may serve 
to shew to other governments that Botany leads to something 
of more practical importance than collecting dried speci- 
mens, or writing technical descriptions of species; both very 
useful things in their way, but not the most likely to inte- 
rest those who have the charge of public affairs. 
It appears that while Dr. Perrine was consul at Cam- 
peachy and Tabasco, he was officially instructed, by a circular 
from the United States Treasury, to aid the desire of the 
general government to introduce into the United States all 
such foreign trees and plants, of whatever nature, as might 
give promise, under proper cultivation, of flourishing and 
becoming useful. In obedience to these instructions, Dr. 
Perrine devoted his time and funds to enquiring into the 
resources of the provinces where he was stationed, and thus 
was led to acquire a knowledge of many very valuable facts, 
notwithstanding the extreme reluctance of the inhabitants to 
give Europeans any information concerning the natural pro- 
ductions of their country. Many useful plants and seeds 
were sent home from time to time; and, upon his return, 
the memorialist applied for the grant of a township in East 
Florida, south of 26° N. L. in which his experiments could 
be conducted ; and Congress acceded to his prayer. The 
Americans are therefore about to commence a grand experi- 
ment upon improving their almost uninhabited and worthless 
southern territories, of which they have between eighteen 
and twenty millions of acres ; and from the energy and good 
sense of Dr. Perrine, it could hardly have been intrusted to 
more able hands. In one part of his memorial there is the 
following passage, which deserves attention from those who 
are interested in tropical improvements. ‘ Many valuable 
vegetables of the tropics do actually propagate themselves in 
the worst soils and situations, in the sun and in the shade, 
where they arrive either by accident or design ; and for other 
profitable plants of the tropics, which require human skill 
and care, moisture is the equivalent to manure. Tropical 
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