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to more fully explore the country which had already proved so fruit- 

 ful, and to send home from it, and from the neighbouring districts, 

 seeds of new hardy trees, shrubs, and flowers. He communicated his 

 idea to Professor Balfour, who, with his happy freedom from jealousy 

 (a quality which is not always found among scientific men), at once 

 not only approved and adopted the idea, but immediately gave his 

 best energies to working it out. Two other gentlemen, well known 

 in this city for the readiness with which they forward any scheme 

 having for its object the public benefit (I mean Lord Murray and Sir 

 William Gibson - Craig), principally aided in setting the scheme 

 a-going. Through their kind offices, the protection of Government, 

 and of the Hudson's Bay Company, were obtained. Other gentlemen, 

 of whom I shall only mention Mr. M'Intosh, of Dalkeith, aided in 

 procuring subscribers; and in a short time the Association found itself 

 in a position to carry its objects into effect. The project was broached 

 in November, 1849; and by the first fleet of the Hudson's Bay Com- 

 pany's ships which left this country after that, Mr. Jeffrey, a young 

 and zealous botanist (who had been appointed collector), set sail for 

 America. He arrived at York Factory in August, 1850, and at once 

 pushed westwards, for the Rocky Mountains. He travelled with one 

 of the Hudson's Bay Company's brigades, till they reached Cumber- 

 land House, where the brigade wintered. Mr. Jeffrey there found 

 that he would lose a whole season if he remained till the brigade 

 started in spring, and, with great energy, at once resolved to go on 

 with what is called the winter packet. This packet starts from York 

 Factory, in Hudson's Bay, in the month of December, and is carried 

 by men, on their backs, from post to post, till it reaches the Rocky 

 Mountains. Mr. Jeffrey started with this packet from Cumberland 

 House, on the .3rd of January, 1851, and reached Jasper's House, on 

 the Rocky Mountains, on the 21st of March. In one of his letters, 

 he says : — ' All this distance (1200 miles) I walked on snow-shoes; the 

 snow being, on an average, two feet deep. During this journey I 

 slept with no other covering than that found under the friendly pine, 

 for the space of forty-seven nights ; on several occasions the thermo- 

 meter standing from 30° to 40° below zero.' Mr. Jeffrey was thus 

 enabled to commence his labours in the spring of 1851 ; and a por- 

 tion of the seeds he then collected was received last autumn, in fine 

 condition. Among the seeds which have been received are those of 

 several very interesting trees and plants. There is a beautiful new 

 pine, which grows to the height of 150 feet, and has a circumference 

 of ISj- feet at the base. This first-fruit has been rightly named Abies 

 VOL. IV. 7 Ct 



