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BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 181 
A country the most opposed to this, in respect of climate 
and productions, is Siberia. ‘hither, anxious to obtain a 
complete knowledge of its vast territories, and at the sugges- 
tion we believe of our valued friend Dr. Fischer, the Impe- 
rial Government of Russia has sent a botanist, Mr. Turt- 
sharinow, to explore those distant uncultivated regions, from 
whose researches much that is interesting may be expected. 
In 1830, he set out, for an indefinite number of years, to 
visit eastern Siberia, from the sources of Yenissey to the 
eastern ocean, a country, the investigation of which would 
tend materially to the perfecting of a Flora of the Russian 
empire. With the particulars of his journey and the exact 
extent of his collections, we are not acquainted, but we know 
that many plants have reached Petersburgh, and some are 
put aside for us by our valued friend Dr. Fischer, who how- 
ever observes in his last letter dated October 31, 1833, 
* It is a long time since we had any information from Turt- 
sharinow. He ought to have directed his steps to the border 
of the Amor, as far as it can be done without reaching the 
Chinese avant-postes. He set out for Nertchiusk in the 
month of May, (1833,) and we are now daily expecting letters 
on his return, for there is no possibility of his wintering in 
those inhospitable tracts." z 
The 2d and concluding part ‘of the 5th volume of Sir J. 
E. Smith's English Flora, (or the 2d of Dr. Hooker's British 
Flora) is in the press. It will comprise the only remaining 
Order, the Fungi, and the difficulties of preparing this can 
Mints, the pastures in Ceylon are scented with Basil, and the woods 
with Cinnamon. Every-where occur the most precious Aromatics, Ginger, 
Cardamom, Galanga, Costus, Acorus, Schenanthus, Calamus aromati- 
cus and flowers of the most exquisite colour, structure and fragrance, such 
as Crinum, Pancratium, and Gloriosa, as well as those plants which saturate 
the night air with their delicious scent, such as the Tuberose ( Polyanthes) 
and Nyctanthes.” Most of these are equally natives of the islands of the 
Indian Archipelago. 
