14 HISTORICAL SKETCH. 



Botanical works must even be printed at pri- 

 vate expense, as have been most of mine (except 

 my medical flora) and the sales do not pay the 

 expences. We often meet besides with envy or 

 detractors, scorn or neglect. We must there- 

 fore find our own reward in the self-satisfaction 

 of having done well, and deserved if not obtain- 

 ed due credit, also in the pleasures inherent in 

 collecting, studying and describing the gifts of 

 Flora, besides the grateful kindness of some con- 

 genial friends or well wishers. 



Nothing is more unkind, and yet how com- 

 mon, than to hear myself assailed with the 

 questions, why do you not give us your netc 

 plants ? why are they not found by every 

 body ? . . . ! This perversity of ideas and feel- 

 ings, would be best answered by saying in iro- 

 nical style, why do you not give me your mo- 

 ney ? and value my rare plants ? or why are 

 you lazy or blind / . . . . I am tired to repeat 

 — Go to the mountains and glades, every month 

 of the year, go where I found them at the same 

 season and you will find them. Spend $ 500 in 

 the pursuit, if you will not buy my specimens — 

 However one half of my new plants are already 

 in the hands of Botanists, having sent them or 

 exchanged or sold to 20 of them. Short, Rid- 

 dell, Hart ^c have found again several of my 

 Western plants, those of Robin will be found 

 in Atakapas and Texas, those of Kin in the 

 peninsula of Florida ^c. 



A crowd of rare plants of Michaux, Pursh, 

 Nuttal &c are unknown to most of our Botan- 

 ists. Many plants described by European Bo- 

 tanists Linneus, Aiton, Lamark, Decandole, 

 Hooker, Lindley, Wildenow «fec, are equaly 

 rare with mine, and unknown to many of our 



