Sargent.] ^ [Oct. 19, 



a copy of the manuscript has been placed in my hands for publication. 

 Itis now printed as Michaux wrote it by the light of his lonely camp-fires, 

 during brief moments snatched from short hours of repose, in the midst 

 of hardships and often surrounded with dangers. The character of the 

 man appears in this record of his daily life ; and any attempt to correct or 

 extend his words would destroy their individuality and diminish the his- 

 torical value of his diary. 



The Journal is something more than a mere diary of travel and botani- 

 cal discovery. The information which it contains in regard to various 

 plants first detected by Micliaux is valuable even now ; and his remarks 

 upon the condition of the remote settlements which he visited in the 

 course of his wanderings are interesting and often amusing. They record 

 the impressions of a man of unusual intelligence — a traveler in many lands 

 who had learned by long practice to use his eyes to good advantage and 

 to writedown only what they saw. 



The duty of preparing the Journal for the press has fallen to me not 

 from any especial fitness of mine for the task, but rather because no other 

 hand was available for it. And it is to my old friend, Mr. John H. Red- 

 field, of Philadelphia, who has aided me in this work constantly and un- 

 tiringly, and not to me, that should be given the thanks of botanists for 

 placing within their reach the story of Michaux's researches in a field 

 which they have cultivated since his time with so much zeal and success. 

 For without his assistance the publication would never have been begun, 

 and could not have been finished. 



C. S. SARGENT. 



Arnold Arboretum, BrookUne, Mass., December, ISSS. 



Akdre Michaux.* 



Andre Michaux will be remembered as long as North American plants 

 are studied or cultivated. lie was the first botanist who ever traveled 

 extensively in this country, although it must not be forgotten that John 

 and William Bartram, his predecessors by several years in the same field, 

 did much to prepare the way for his wider and more detailed explorations. 

 The first connected and systematic work upon the flora of North America 

 was based largely upon his collections and bears the impress of his name, 

 while it was by his efforts that many American plants were first made 

 known in the gardens of Europe. 



Michaux was born at Satory, in the neighborhood of Versailles, on 

 the 7th of March, 1746, on a farm situated in the public domain, and 

 carried on by his father. His early training was all directed to preparing 



•This sketch of Miclmnx's career is based lars:cly upon the memoir byM.Delcuze, 

 publishefl In the Third Volume of the Mimoires du Musium JS'ational d'JJUtoire Naturelle 

 P»ri9, 1804. 



