THE PLANT WOELD 45 



LEWIS DAVID VON SCHWEINITZ, 



A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH. 

 By C. L. Shear. 



IT is only quite recently in this country that one has been able to se- 

 cure a livelihood by following botany as a profession. During the 



first half of the past century nearly all the botanical work was 

 done b.y physicians, clergymen and members of other professions who, 

 being lovers of nature, devoted all their spare moments to her study 

 and laid the foundations of botanical science in this country. Among 

 the most noteworthy of these men was the subject of this sketch, who 

 "was born at Bethlehem, Pa., February 13, 1780. His parents were Ger- 

 mans, belonging to the sect known as the United Brethren, which has 

 exercised such good influence in portions of Pennsylvania since early 

 in its history. His father held an important position among the Breth- 

 ren, being superintendent of the iiscal and secular concerns of the fra- 

 ternity. His early associations and training were characterized by 

 purity and simplicity. While very young he showed an enthusiastic 

 liking for study, and when his teacher exhibited and explained to him 

 some natural history specimens his latent interest in the subject was 

 immediately evinced. 



At the age of seven he was placed in the Moravian School at Naza- 

 reth, Pa., where he continued his studies for eleven years. Here his 

 interest in nature, and especially botany, increased and developed under 

 the direction of Mr. Kramtch, who was teacher of this subject. It must 

 not be inferred, however, from this that natural science was given any 

 very important place in the curriculum ; most of the time was devoted to 

 the classics and religious subjects. The lad, however, improved every 

 opportunity to collect and study the plants of the vicinity, and under- 

 took the preparation of a flora of Nazareth, which was not finished, 

 however. He progressed so well in all his studies that he was soon given 

 charge of some of the junior classes in the Seminary. 



When Lewis was 18 years old his father was called to Germany on 

 business. His family accompanied him and the young man was placed 

 in the Theological School at Niesky to continue his studies, as he was 

 expected to enter the ministry. Here he came under the influence of 

 Prof. J. B. de Albertini, the botanist, by whom his attention was first 

 turned to the study of that numerous but much neglected group of 

 plants, the fungi. He pursued the subject with much enthusiasm, many 

 undescribed species were found, and as joint author with Albertini^ a 

 work was written describing the fungi of the region. It was illustrated 

 with twelve excellent colored plates prepared by Schweinitz. 



About this time he began preaching at Gnadenburg, Silesia. From 



