1- Till: BOTANISTS <>K I'll 1 1. A I >KL1'II IA. 



with the University of Pennsylvania is interesting.* "So 

 far as now appears, Dr. A<l;im Kulin, a pupil of Linna-u-. 

 was the first botanical professor in Philadelphia, or in the 



ciiiintry. being appointed in the year ITl'.S. There is. how- 

 ever, no record of any important work connected with his 

 name. As early as the year 1800, Dr. Benjamin Smith 

 Hal-ton was leaching botany in Philadelphia, and num- 

 l.eivd among his pupils in l.so:j-'ol, at the University oi' 

 Pennsylvania, William Darlington, wlio subsequently 

 became known as one of the most learned and exaet 

 botanists of his day in this or any other country. Dr. 

 Darlington says of his preceptor, 'that he did more than 

 any of his contemporaries in diffusing a taste for the 

 natural sciences among the young men who then resorted 

 to that school.' He also published in 1803 'the first 

 American elementary work on botany, at Philadelphia.'' 



"The minutes of a trustee meeting held April 7, 1812, 

 show that 'a letter was received from Dr. Barton request- 

 ing the use of one of the rooms in the University to 

 deliver his lectures on natural history and botany in.' The 

 request could not be granted. In July, 1813, Dr. Barton 

 resigned his professorship of materia medica, a position 

 which does not appear to have been a bed of roses. He was 

 succeeded by Dr. Chapman. The following minute appeal's 

 of a trustee meeting of November 7, 1815 :" 



" Whereas, the Legislature of Pennsylvania, by their 

 Act passed the l!th March, 1805, granted to the trustees of 

 this institution out of the moneys due to the State, the sum 

 of three thousand dollars, for the purpose of enabling them 



*I have drawn largely at this point on Dr. J. T. KothrocUV M;et c h of the 

 l'.iolo'_;ical School, published in the circular of Information limvaii of Education, 

 entitled, " ISenjamin Franklin and the 1'niversity of Pennsylvania " (189S). 



