252 Britain's Heritage of Science 



of Botany, and in 1840 Sibthorpian Professor of Rural 

 Economy. It is not our intention in this volume to deal 

 with agriculture, but one might at least indicate that he 

 was one of the earliest to throw light on the principles involved 

 in the rotation of crops, to investigate the constituents of 

 plant ashes, to show the difference between " the total amount 

 of the salts contained in the soil and the amount available 

 for use by the plant," and above all he had a keen appreciation 

 of the part that the fungi play in diseases of plants. 



Daubeny remodelled the beautiful Botanic Gardens at 

 Oxford and founded the Botanic Museum. He was a keen 

 supporter of Darwin's views of Natural Selection, and spoke 

 strongly in their favour at the meeting of the British 

 Association in 1860. 



If we now turn to Cambridge we again find no name of 

 absolutely outstanding merit until the revival of science at 

 the end of the nineteenth century. 



A few words should, however, be said about the second 

 Martyn, who succeeded his father to the Professorship in 

 the year 1761. Thomas Martyn (1735-1825) was a parson, 

 and in 1762 he was elected to succeed his father to 

 the Chair of Botany, which he held for the astonishing 

 period of sixty-three years. He was, however, as professors 

 were apt to be in those times, largely non-resident, and he 

 ceased lecturing altogether in 1796. But for many years 

 before that date he had been out of residence, and only 

 returned from time to time to what was obviously an 

 uninterested audience. 



Henslow (1796-1861), who succeeded Martyn, was a 

 different kind of man, and did much to encourage the advance 

 of science in many directions. For a time he held the Chair 

 of Mineralogy, having been appointed at the age of twenty- 

 six, together with the Chair of Botany, but he devoted 

 most of his energy to the latter subject, and his lectures 

 attracted large audiences. He used many illustrations, and 

 for the first time introduced what was later destined to 

 develop into practical laboratory work. He reorganized 

 the Botanic Garden, and during his time it was moved to 

 its present site, and for the first time organized systematic 

 excursions in the neighbouring country. His success in 



