Natural History Expedition in Brazil, 7 



them, as well as on the further proceedings of the travellers, to the minis- 

 ter of this Imperial court." 



According to that most noble order of the Emperor, 

 M. Riedelleft St.Petersburgh in the beginning of March, 1831, 

 and is now on his way to the Brazils. He proposed to him- 

 self to go first to London, to buy there some of the necessary 

 books, maps, instruments, &c., for the use of his new voyage; 

 but I have since received letters from M. Riedel, informing 

 me that he had made his preparations at Hamburgh, and 

 started thence direct to the Brazils, where, no doubt, he will 

 by this time have safely arrived. 



It is proposed that the painter shall attend M. Riedel on 

 his travels in the interior of the Brazils, but that the gardener 

 shall remain at Rio de Janeiro, to receive the plants and 

 seeds which will be sent by M. Riedel out of the interior parts 

 of the country ; and it is to be the gardener's business to culti- 

 vate the plants, and prepare them for shipping. He is charged 

 to send, by every opportunity, to St. Petersburgh, boxes of 

 plants, herbariums, collections of different species of wood, 

 seeds, &c. ; but the main collection of the more rare plants, 

 particularly of palms, is to remain at Rio de Janeiro, and to 

 be eventually brought over, under the especial care of the 

 above-mentioned gardener. 



We now, therefore, entertain hopes of receiving a good 

 many of those plants which we at present so much admire 

 in the books descriptive of that rich country, from the pens of 

 some noted travellers. Under such promising circumstances, 

 we may have one day the pleasure to see some of the enor- 

 mous stoves of the Imperial Botanic Garden filled with a 

 beautiful Brazilian vegetation. No doubt they will prosper, 

 as many of the Brazilian and other tropical plants already in 

 the establishment, under the 59th degree of northern latitude, 

 thrive uncommonly well ; and, although the garden has only 

 been about nine years in existence, we have gathered already 

 fruits of several Eugenz<^, Jamhbsce, Uvariae, Mus<^, Psidia, 

 . Euphoriae, Xanthochymus, Chrysophylla, Sterculia nobilis, 

 Sarcocephalus esculentus, Cinnamomum dulce, &c. 



I hope subsequently to be able to give you some further 

 relations of the proceedings of M. Riedel at the Brazils ; and 

 remain, dear Sir, your most obedient servant, 



F. Faldermann. 

 Imperial Botanic Garden, St.Petersburgh, 

 August 10. 1831. 



B 4 



