iriv PREFACB. 



While I was engaged in arranging my materials for 

 this publication, I was called upon to take the manage- 

 ment of the Botanic Garden at New York, which had 

 been originally established by the arduous zeal and ex- 

 ertions of Dr. David Hosack, Professor of Botany, &c. 

 as his private property, but has lately been bought by 

 the Government of the State of New York for the public 

 service. As this employment opened a further prospect 

 to me of increasing my knowledge of the plants of that 

 country, I willingly dropped the idea of my intended pub- 

 licatoA for that time, and in 1807 took charge of that 

 jBstabiishment. 



Here I again endeavoured to pay the utmost attention 

 to the collection of American plants, as the establish- 

 ment was principally intended for that purpose. In this 

 I was supported by my numerous botanical connections 

 and friends, among whom I must particularly mention 

 John Le Conte, Esq. of Georgia, whose unremitting ex- 

 ertions added considerably to the collection, particularly 

 of plants from the Southern States. 



The additions to my former stock of materials for a 

 Flora were now considerable, and in conjunction with 

 Dr. D. Hosack I had engaged to publish a periodical 

 work, with coloured plates, all taken from living plants, 

 and if possible from native specimens, on a plan similar 

 to that of Curtis's Botanical Magazine ; for which a 

 great number of drawings were actually prepared. But 

 at this period I was attacked by a serious and obstinate 

 intermitting fever, which made a change of air and cli ■ 

 mate absolutely necessary to me ; I therefore, in 1810, 

 took a voyage to the West Indies, visiting the islands of 

 Barbadoes, Martinique, Dominique, Guadaloupe, and 



