

ESSEX AND EARLY BOTANISTS 129 



the illustrious naturalist accomplished what Linnaeus 

 rightly called " his immense labours " ; there he exa- 

 mined and arranged his specimens ; there he received 

 his scientific friends; there he wrote his numerous 

 works, including the Synopsis of British plants, 

 which may fairly be regarded as the foundation of 

 every succeeding English flora. 



During his residence at Notley Ray was fortunate 

 in the intimate friendship of his disciple and near 

 neighbour, Samuel Dale, an apothecary of Braintree 

 and a botanist of very considerable attainments. The 

 two friends worked in the closest harmony at their 

 favourite pursuit ; and to Dr. Dale Ray was indebted 

 for many of the localities of Essex plants mentioned in 

 his Synopsis. Other distinguished men of science, 

 like Sir Hans Sloane, and Compton, Bishop of London, 

 sometimes visited the great naturalist; and in 1699 

 we find Mr. Petiver and the Rev. Adam Buddie, 

 afterwards vicar of North Fambridge, near Maldon, 

 at Black Notley. Buddie was the great authority on 

 grasses and mosses ; and his herbarium, now in the 

 South Kensington Museum, is, with Dr. Dale's, among 

 the earliest collections of British plants in existence. 

 Most fascinating is the task of examining these early 

 specimens, still in a state of excellent preservation, 

 and labelled with the utmost care and accuracy. In 

 Buddie's collection it is interesting to find a plant of 

 the broad-leaved spurge (Euphorbia platyphylla, Koch.), 

 gathered by Dr. Dale in "Ray's orchard at Black 

 Notley." Of this uncommon plant Ray makes the 

 following note : " It grows spontaneously in mine own 

 Orchard here, coming up yearly of its own sowing, for 

 it is an annual plant." 



Very interesting, too, is a walk about the parish of 



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