THE BOTANISTS OF PHILADELPHIA. 195 



rarities. From Mr. Tweedie, for whom Sir William 

 Hooker named a Verbena, V. Tweediana and the genus of 

 plants Tweedia, he obtained the above-mentioned Verbena. 

 Through the Mexican Minister, Mr. Poinsett, Poinsettia 

 pulchcrrima was introduced. 



Mr. Buist was well known by his writings. His " Rose 

 Manual," his " Family Kitchen Garden," and his " Flower 

 Garden Directory," were in their day the principal prac- 

 tical garden guides. 



Personally, Mr. Buist was tall, and to his death as straight 

 as a well-trained soldier. He was thrice married. His eldest 

 son died before his father, Robert, his only living son, 

 carrying on the business since his father's death, which 

 occurred July 13, 1SSO, at Rosedale, Philadelphia. 



ROBERT BRIDGES. 



Dr. Robert Bridges * was born in Philadelphia, March 

 5, 1806, and died in the city, February 20, 1882, at the ripe 

 age of nearly seventy-six years. He was elected a member 

 of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences January, 

 1835, and held many offices of trust in that institution and 

 the American Philosophical Society, of which he was also a 

 member. 



His work in botany consisted of an Index of the Genera 

 in the Herbarium of the Academy prepared by him and 

 Dr. Paul B. Goddard, presented August, 1835. He was 

 elected a member of the Botanical Committee, January, 1836, 

 was chairman of it from December, 1846, and served till 

 December, 1857, twenty-one years, when he declined re-elec- 

 tion. On the 23d of May, 1843, he presented a new Index 



* A fine oil painting of Dr. Bridges is hung in the library of the Academy of 

 Natural Sciences. 



