492 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



were described in these volumes, and much was done toward revising 

 the characters and synonymes of the older ones. The work was pub- 

 lished by subscription, and, from the labor involved in its preparation, 

 only a limited edition could be sent out. It is now a very rare work, 

 but one which must be quoted by whoever would write upon the 

 grasses or sedges of North America. 



A paper was read before the New York Lyceum of Natural History, 

 in December, 1834, entitled "A Notice of Some New, Rare, or Other- 

 wise Interesting Plants from the Northern and Western Portions of 

 the State of New York, by Asa Gray, M. D." This first brought its 

 author prominently before the botanists of the day. It was a matter 

 of no little surprise that a young man, working in a field heretofore 

 thought to be well explored, should not only bring to light several 

 new species, but clear up the confusion that surrounded many which 

 had long been kept in a state of uncertainty by the older botanists. 



In 1838, the first part of the "Flora of North America" appeared 

 under the joint authorship of John Torrey, M. D. and Asa Gray, M. D. 

 It proposed to give " abridged descriptions of all the known indige- 

 nous and naturalized plants growing north of Mexico." This was pub- 

 lished in numbers from time to time, and was suspended at the end 

 of Compositce. The value and thoroughness of this work, the faithful- 

 ness with which it embodied all that was known of our plants up to 

 the time of publication, can only be appreciated by those who have had 

 occasion to use the work. It is so frequently quoted as " Torrey and 

 Gray," that had these two eminent coworkers made no other contri- 

 butions to the science, they would still be accorded the title of our first 

 botanists. The union of these botanists upon the Flora was most 

 fortunate, as each had special fondness for certain parts of the work, 

 and thus, the labor being divided, the whole became more complete 

 than if either had undertaken the entire task. If we mistake not, the. 

 Composites of the Flora was mainly the work of Dr. Gray a task the 

 difficulties of which can only be appreciated by working botanists. 

 The relations between the authors of the Flora have been charming to 

 those whose pleasure it has been to know of them, and are most touch- 

 ingly expressed by Dr. Gray in the dedication of his Manual in 1867, 

 in which he writes : " To John Torrey, LL. D. Almost twenty years 

 have passed since the first edition of this work was dedicated to you 

 more than thirty since, as your pupil, I began to enjoy the advan- 

 tage of being associated with you in botanical pursuits and in a lasting 

 friendship. The flow of time has only deepened the sense of gratitude 

 due to you from your attached friend." We have said thus much 

 about Torrey and Gray, for it is not possible to speak of the botanical 

 career of one without reference to the other. 



It was stated that the "Flora of North America" was suspended with 

 the completion of the Composite Family. When the work had reached 

 this point the phrase " growing north of Mexico " had a widely-different 



