12 JOURXAL OF THE 



Tliis constant recording of his observations as he read as a red his 

 becoming a trusty and universal Historian. 



In 1825 Dr. Ohnsted returned to Yale College. There he labored 

 Till his death and acquired a wide spread renown. Dr. Mitchell 

 was then transferred to the Professorship vacated by Dr. Olmsted ? 

 while his own inst- uctions were continued by the late Rev. Dr. James 

 l^hillips. Ardent as had been his pursuit of Science hitherto, it wa^ 

 hereafter much more ab-orbing — for Natural Science was con- 

 natural to him. His Botanical studies in North Carolina began at 

 his tlrst acquaintance with its hills and vallies, its woods and mead- 

 ows. They closed only at the close of his life. For a memorandum 

 about one of his later trips to the mountains of North Carolina 

 shows that he carried with him '' avasaulumfor j^lonts., and a ham- 

 mer for rocks.''' The MS. quoted above contains a list of flowers, 

 mosses, oaks, hickories, maples, (fcc, which he had observed about 

 Chapel Hill, and about Hillsboroug i. A most careful observer was 

 Dr. Mitchell. His entries concerning his collections contain gener- 

 ally the date as well as the place of his discoveries — the n arks he 

 noted on his specimens, criticisms of the descriptions in Pursh, 

 Eliot, Michaux, Nuttall, &c., together with memorabilia touching 

 points still doubtful. One page is headed — '' Catalogue of plants 

 to he sent to Mr. Schweinitz.'''' Here then we have the data by which 

 a useful comparison may be made between the contents of the flora 

 in this neighborhood at this time and sixty years ago. What was 

 in the valley of Morgan's creek, from the wli.t-stone quarry, past 

 McAulay's mill and Kittrell's — now Purefoy's — plantation, down to 

 Scott's hole, what on the affluents of Boiling's creek — what on New 

 Hope — what around Hillsborough, and what "beside Haw Riv^er," 

 are recorded with much clearness. An examination of what is now 

 in those localiti^s might show what plants have been lost — what con- 

 tinued, and what introduced, '^ven into the yards and gardens of 

 Chapel Hill. The attention of the Mitchell Society is rispectfully 

 called to this good work. Its present Professor of Botany can 

 doubtless spend — as his predecessor spent — and with the help of ar- 

 dent and able pupils, may utilize many pleasant Saturdays by re- 

 viving these labors of love for Science. 



Dr. Mitchell left no such evidence of his work in Mineralogy. 

 But in his day it was well known to be equally broad and deep. He 

 had a large collection of sto es, and specimens of rock, gathered 

 by himsslf, and sent by friends, from various parts of North Caro- 

 lina. These — their names and their loci were very familiar to the 

 Professor, and he introduced them fully and frequently to his pupils. 



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