72 



our nightingales, accompanied by the murmur of a 

 little rill, I intend to consecrate a few moments to 

 one of the best men I ever knew. — Thanks then, my 

 dear friend, for your most magnificent present: they 

 are indeed fine and rare plants, unknown on the 

 continent, and which will do great credit to my her- 

 barium. Botany is still a study I am very fond of, 

 but, like a man who loves an absent mistress, my 

 several, perhaps too numerous, avocations prevent 

 me from paying so much attention to her as I wish 

 to do, and shall do hereafter. In saying so, I only 

 speak of the scientific part of the systematical study 

 of botany ; for I am very busy as to the ceconomi- 

 cal part. I try to find out plants for the use of 

 men and of cattle, and so improve by culture those 

 that are already in use. You will do me a great 

 favour, if among your pursuits you happen to think 

 of some plants, the use of which ought to be tried 

 ceconomically. I promise to attend to it, and, if 

 you can give me some seed, to send you an exact 

 account of the result. The physiology of plants 

 continues likewise to attract our notice ; and I am 

 pointing out with M. Schmeisser apian of experi- 

 ments about some causes of the fertility of peculiar 

 ground for peculiar plants, along with the influence 

 of light, and of water, whose decomposition by an 

 unknown cause is certainly an immediate food of 

 plants ; and of the different kinds of gases upon 

 vegetation. 



I arranged for my particular use a herbarium 

 pictum in the way of Lord Bute's, which I find very 

 convenient. 



