LINNEAN SOCIE'xy OF LONDON". 7 



decease of Prof. Ambrosius Arnold Willem Hubrecht, Hermann, 

 Count Solms-Laubacli, and Charles liene Zeiller. 



The first communication was by Miss Caklotta ITerring- 

 Browne, entitled "John Eartram: the Pioneer American Eolanist," 

 Avhich was communicated by the President, and illustrated with 

 lantern -slides. 



The author stnted that Bartram was born on the 23rd March, 

 1699, near Darby in County Delaware, Pennsylvania. 



His old stone farm-house was built in 1731, soon after his 

 thoughts by a chance occurrence during his labours had been 

 turned to the structure of flow^ers. It was in the same year 

 that his friend James Logan procured a copy of Parkinson's 

 ' Theatrum ' from England as a present for Bartram, and this gift 

 decided him to make excursions after plants into Maryland and 

 Delaware. Of strong and untiring frame, neither danger nor 

 difficulty kept him back. To receive and grow his discoveries he 

 began before the end of the year to lay out the garden, the charm 

 of which was felt by Washington, Jefferson, and Pranklin, 

 Three years later, at Franklin's suggestion, Bartram sent his 

 diaries to Peter CoUinson, in London, who, as a Member of the 

 Society of Friends, had connections with Pennsylvania. This 

 correspondence, to the mutual benefit of both, lasted till the 

 death of the elder man in 1769. Through Collinson he became 

 known to Linnaeus, Gronovius, Dilleuius, Sir Hans Sloane, 

 Dr. Solander, Lord Petre, Dr. Pothergill, and others. 



Many of the American trees were first sent to Europe by 

 Bartram ; amongst them being the Taxodium disticlium still 

 extant at Mill Hill, in Collinson's old garden. An even finer 

 specimen, which died a few years ago, was 150 feet high, and 

 27 feet in girth ; the trunk still stands in the Bartram Garden 

 Park, Philadelphia. 



In 1769 Bartram was elected a Member of the Royal Swedish 

 Academy" of Science at Stockholm, and the long letter he sent in 

 acknowledgment is in the Society's possession among the Liujiean 

 correspondence. 



Bartram died when the United States were one year old; he 

 passed away in his old house, on the 22nd September, 1777. His 

 life was shortened by tlie apprehension that liis cherished garden 

 miglit be laid Avaste by British troops, but his fears were not 

 realized. This garden is now the property of the City of 

 Philadelphia, and is supported as a public park. Erom time to 

 time the members of the John Bartram Association, many of 

 whom are his lineal descendants, meet to keep his memory green. 

 The moss genus Bartramia is his botanical memorial. 



The author has devoted many months to searching for 

 memorials of Bartram among the archives in this country, and 

 has succeeded in finding many most interesting letters and 

 objects ; these will be described in the complete work upon which 

 she is engaged. 



