IN NORTH AMERICA. 21 



In 1739, was published at Leyden, in Holland, an Essay in 

 Latin, entitled " JExperimenta et Meletemata de Plantarum gene- 

 ratione" by the learned and ingenious James Logan, of Pennsyl- 

 vania. It was afterwards, viz., in 1747, republished in London, 

 with an English translation by Dr. Fothergill. The experiments 

 and observations detailed in this Essay, were admirably illustrative 

 of the Linnasan doctrine of the sexes of plants ; and amply demon- 

 strated the capacity of the author for successful philosophical 

 research.* 



Doctor John Mitchell to whom the pretty little Mitchella 

 is dedicated came to Virginia early in the eighteenth century. 

 He paid much attention to the plants of that province, collected 

 extensively, and became a correspondent of Linnaeus and others. 

 About the year 1740, he sent to Peter Collinson " a paper in 

 which thirty new genera of Virginia plants were proposed." 



In the year 1748, Peter Kalm, a Swedish naturalist, and pupil 

 of Linnteus, visited Pennsylvania, and spent three years in ex- 

 ploring the botany of that and the adjacent provinces, and extended 

 his researches into Canada. He was a vigilant observer, and an 

 industrious collector, sending numerous nondescript plants to his 

 great preceptor ; and in 1753, published his travels in North 

 America. He also contributed many articles on the natural his- 

 tory of this country, to the Memoirs of the Royal Swedish Academy 

 of Sciences. 



The accomplished Doctor Alexander Garden, of Charleston, 

 South Carolina, commenced his correspondence with Linnjeus in 

 1755 ; and by his contributions of botanical information and speci- 

 mens, to LiNNiBUS, Ellis, Collinson, and others, did much to 

 promote a knowledge of American plants. 



Doctor Adam Kuhn, of Philadelphia, was probably the first 

 Professor of botany in this country (appointed anno 1768) ; yet, 



* The writer of this had the satisfaction, in the summer of 1805, of repeating 

 with complete success the Loganian experiments upon the Indian corn. 



The observations of James Logan upon the Pollen grains, their figure, function, 

 &c, are very remarkable for that day. After stating that Samuel Morland, 

 about the year 1696, had asserted that the farina, or minute pollen grains entered 

 the ovary through the canal of the style, he adds : " Ego quidem semel in medio 

 unius ex supra memoratis stylis frumenti Indict granulum conspexi ; nee dubitan- 

 dum reor, quin exquisitiore adhibita diligentia, in iis delabentia facile deprehen- 

 dantur." Which is thus rendered by Dr. Fothergill: "I once saw a small 

 grain in the middle of this canal ; nor is it to be doubted, but that stricter in- 

 quiries will discover more of them passing the same way." 



