CALCUTTA BOTANIC GAKDEN. 11 



The Calcutta Botanic Garden is associated almost with the com- 

 mencement of modern Indian Botany. The classic work of old 

 Eheede, who, two centuries ago, illustrated a series of drawings, often 

 remarkable for their fidelity, by a condensation of all the facts obtain- 

 able from the most intelligent Brahmins of Malabar, belongs to a former 

 epoch, and stands alone. Tt was for many years almost the only source 

 from which botanists could know Indian plants, and even now we have 

 in many cases to refer to its plates instead of to nature for the types of 

 the genera of the older botanists. 



Modern Indian Botany began with the Danish missionaries of 

 Southern India, who were attracted to the science, in the first instance, 

 by the benevolent wish to combine the practice of the healing art with 

 the duties to which they had devoted themselves. This motive actuated 

 the whole body, but a few continued to prosecute the science for its own 

 sake, and some of the medical officers of the Madras Presidency formed 

 with them a botanical association, by which plants were examined and 

 named, and to which the discoveries made by members at a distance 

 were reported. One of the most distinguished of these associates was 

 William Koxburgh, who was appointed in 1794, on the death of 

 Colonel Kyd, the Superintendent of the Calcutta Botanic Garden, and 

 commenced at once the labours which have gained for him a position 

 at the head of Indian Botany, of which indeed, as the author of the 

 first Flora, he may, in one sense, be said to be the founder. 



During a long series of years Koxburgh examined, described, and 

 prepared drawings of the indigenous plants of India. In all possible 

 cases he cultivated them in the garden under his own eye and examined 

 them carefully in all stages of growth. The descriptions, which are 

 remarkable for their accuracy, by degrees took the shape of a Flora 

 Indica, comprising all the plants of the Northern Circars (in which 

 Roxburgh resided before he came to Bengal), those of Bengal proper, 

 and such of the plants of Silhet and Chittagong as were introduced by 

 active collectors into the Gardens and flowered there. It is therefore 

 a nearly complete Flora of the plains of India from the base of the 

 Himalaya to Cape Coraorin, and contains descriptions of most of the 

 plants which a botanist will meet with in the neighbourhood of the 



presidency towns or the large stations. 



The drawings, more than 2000 in number, were made in duplicate. 

 One set is in the Garden Library, the other, with corresponding numbers, 



