544 • Britton : Dr. Torrey as a Botanist 



the only copy in existence 'presented by the author/ M This copy 

 is now the property of Professor Byron D. Halsted, and through 

 his courtesy we are able to exhibit it to you to-day. 



During the progress of this great work on the flora of New 

 York, the Torrey and Gray "Flora of North America" was also 

 in preparation. Dr. Gray says of this u Early in his career Dr. 

 Torrey had resolved to undertake a general Flora of North Amer- 

 ica, or at least of the United States arranged upon the natural sys- 

 tem, and had asked Mr. Nuttall to join him, who, however, did 

 not consent * * * It was in the year 1836 or 1837 that he in- 

 vited the writer of this notice — then pursuing botanical studies 

 under his auspices and direction — to become his associate in the 

 Flora of North America." The first part of the first volume was 

 published in July, 1838, the second in October, 1838, the remain- 

 der of the first volume in 1840 ; the first part of the second volume 

 in 1 84 1, the second in the spring of 1842, and the third, the last of 

 February, 1843. Dr. Gray further remarks "from that time to 

 the present, the scientific exploration of the vast interior of the 

 continent has been actively carried on, and in consequence new 

 plants have poured in year by year in such numbers as to over- 

 task the powers of the few working botanists of the country, 

 nearly all of them weighted with professional engagements. The 

 most they could do has been to put collections into order in special 

 reports, revise here and there a family or a genus monograph ically, 

 and incorporate new materials into older parts of the fabric, or 

 rough hew them for portions of the edifice yet to be constructed. 

 In all this Dr. Torrey took a prominent part -down almost to the 

 last days of his life." 



Remarking on the suspension of publication of this great de- 

 sideratum Dr. Thurb.er says : %i Its authors pursued the best 

 course ; instead of giving their time to the completion of the flora 

 and allowing the new materials to pass — as they inevitably would 

 'have done — into the hands of European botanists, they turned 

 their attention to studying and recording them. Now these dis- 



coveries of American plants are mainly recorded by American 

 botanists in American publications, and to secure this result it was 

 well that the Flora was suspended. " With the further prosecution 

 of the plan of Torrey, subsequent to his death, by Dr. Gray and 



