124 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



A BIOGKAPHICAL HISTORY OF BOTANY AT ST. LOUIS, 



MISSOUEI. III. 



By Dr. PBRLEY SPAULDING 



laboeatoey of forest pathology, bueeau of pi_\nt industey, 

 u. s. dbpaetment of ageicultuee 



Ij^ XPLORATION in the Missouri country was commenced in 1835 

 J-^ by Karl Andreas Geyer, a collector who became well known for 

 his botanical explorations in the northwestern section of the United 

 States. His explorations extended over a number of years and ranged 

 from Illinois westward to the Pacific. He traveled especially in the 

 territory included between the Mississippi and the Missouri River as 

 far north as North Dakota. 



Karl Andreas Gej^er^^ was born in Dresden, Germany, on November 

 30, 1809. His father was a market gardener of very moderate circum- 

 stances. The boy was naturally bright and studied Latin under the 

 tutelage of a kind-hearted man who helped him with his lessons, which 

 were studied while he was selling hi;? father's produce in the streets of 

 the city. In 1826 he entered the garden at Zabelitz as an apprentice. 

 In 1830 he removed to Dresden and engaged as assistant in the bo- 

 tanic garden there. In this place he had numerous friends, among 

 whom was Dr. H. G. Reichenbach, whose lectures upon botany he at- 

 tended with great regularity. He seems to have been a very likable 

 and attractive person, drawing the attention of those with whom he 

 came in contact. In February, 1834, he left Dresden for America. 

 Here he collected plants during the summer months and worked at 

 odd jobs in the winter, thus maintaining himself for several years. In 

 one case he entered a newspaper office as compositor, but a few months 

 later he was writing the leading articles for the same paper that he had 

 helped set in type. ■ 



Geyer's first great journey in this country was in 1835, when he 

 visited and explored the plains of the Missouri with a single compan- 

 ion. In 1836 and the succeeding years he went with Nicollet survey- 

 ing the country between the Missouri and the Mississippi River. In 

 1840 he collected around St. Louis and in Illinois, making very consid- 

 erable collections during this season. While in St. Louis he became 

 acquainted with Dr. George Engelmann and this friendship seems to 

 have lasted as long as Geyer was in this country. Engelmann seems to 

 liave worked over his collections, as we find him publishing upon them 



"Anonymous, Chronik des Oartenioesens, 3: 185-187, 1853. 

 Reichenbach, H. G., Kew Garden Miscellany, 7: 181-183, 1855. 



