rREFACE. 



Not far from the latter place are also the extensive 

 gardens of William Hamilton, Esq., called the Wood- 

 lands, which I found not only rich in plants from all 

 parts of the world, but particularly so in rare and new 

 American species. Philadelphia being a central situa- 

 tion, and extremely well calculated for the cultivation of 

 plants from all the other parts of North America, I 

 found this collection particularly valuable for furnishing 

 me with a general knowledge of the plants of that coun- 

 try, preparatory to more extensive travels into the inte- 

 rior, for the discovery of new and unknown subjects.* 

 Mr. John Lyon, (of whom I shall have an opportunity 

 to speak hereafter,) who had the management of these 

 gardens, was then about to give them up : having the 

 offer of being appointed his successor, I embraced it, 

 and accordingly in 1 802 I entered upon the situation. 

 During my stay in this place, which was until 1805, I 

 received and collected plants from all parts of North 

 America; and when Michaux's " Flora Boreali -Ameri- 

 cana" appeared, which was during that time, I was not 

 only in possession of most of his plants, but had then a 

 considerable number not described by him. 



Within this period I had also formed a connection 

 with Dr. Benjamin S. Barton, Professor of Botany in 

 the University of Pensylvania, &c. whose industrious re- 

 searches in all the different branches of natural history 

 are so well known to the literary world. He likewise, 

 for some time previous, had been collecting materials for 

 an American Flora. As I was now very anxious to ex- 

 plore the more remote parts of the country, particularly 

 the interesting ranges of the Allegany Mountains, I was 

 enabled, by the kind assistance of this gentleman, to 



