122 SHORT ON WESTERN BOTANY. 



the Rensselaer Institution, while in the other he had been 

 instrumental in exciting a relish for the charms of botany — 

 these were Dr Robert Peter, and Mr Henry A. Griswolcl. 

 In connexion with one or both of these gentlemen, we have 

 been diligently engaged, for the last five years, as leisure 

 and opportunity permitted, in exploring various portions ot 

 Kentucky. Of those localities, which have been for tlie 

 most part very thoroughly examined, and which have yielded 

 us the richest harvests, may be mentioned the precipitous lime- 

 stone cliffs of the Kentucky river at various points — the sand- 

 stone hills and swampy bottoms bordering the Licking river 

 — the mountainous region round about the Olympian SpringSj 

 and the Blue Licks — the elevated point in Madison county 

 called the " Big Hill" — the Knobs around the Crab Orchard, 

 being the first spurs of the Cumberland mountains — the 

 country bordering the Ohio river at Maysville, Cincinnati, 

 North Bend, and especially the mai'shy track around Louis- 

 ville — the Barrens of Kentucky, &c., &c. The results of 

 these explorations have been published in the form of Cata- 

 logues of the Plants of Kentucky, in several preceding num- 

 bers of the Transylvania Journal of Medicine, from which it 

 appears that about one thousand species have been detected 

 by us, as natives of the State, which number will probably 

 be extended by future examination to fifteen hundred. The 

 fruits of these collections in the shape of well prepared 

 specimens have been gladly distributed among our brother 

 botanists; and within the time just specified not less than 

 twenty-five thousand specimens of Western plants, have 

 been forwarded by us to various correspondents in different 

 portions of Europe and America. Nor have these offerings 

 been unrequited. On the contrary we have great pleasure 

 in acknowledging valuable and acceptable returns in ex- 

 change, from Sir William Hooker of Glasgow; Dr Greville 

 of Edinburgh; Mr Bentham, of London; Mr Parker, ofLiver- 

 pool; M. Mirbel, of Paris, and Dr Fischer, of St Petersburgh. 

 Whilst our countrymen. Professor Torrey and Dr Gray of 

 New York; Mr Oakes of Massachusetts, Dr Griffith and 



