THE BOTANISTS OF PHILADELPHIA. 13 



to establish a garden for the improvement of the science of 

 botany , Resolved, that Mr. Rawle, Mr. Chew and Mr. Burd 

 be a committee to consider and report the best method 

 of carrying the said intention of the Legislature into effect." 



"February 6, 1816, at a trustee meeting Mr. C. S. 

 Rafinesque and Dr. William P. C. Barton oflPered them- 

 selves as candidates for the professorship of natural history 

 and botany in the University. Dr. Barton was appointed." 



" The trustees received March 19, 1816, ' a letter from a 

 society of gentlemen called the Cabinet of Sciences, relating 

 to a botanical garden. It was referred to the committee on 

 that subject. Mr. Binney and Mr. Gibson were added to 

 the committee on botanical garden.' On April 2, the com- 

 mittee was authorized to solicit subscriptions from the 

 public towards the accomplishment of that end. Nothing 

 having been accomplished by meeting with the Cabinet of 

 Sciences, on April 16 the committee announced that they 

 had published their application for aid in the public 

 papers. By order of the board, the moneys available for the 

 botanical garden were put at interest, subject to future call. 

 Early in 1817 forty-two acres of ground had been purchased 

 for the botanical garden. The records show that it was 

 located in Penn Township, near the ' Canal Road,' and it 

 was ordered that enough for the purposes of the garden 

 should be ' fenced off.' " 



" Stringent economy had apparently become a necessity, 

 and in 1819, after two years' ownership, the trustees were 

 considering the propriety of selling the ground purchased 

 for a botanical garden, and the professor of botany was 

 ' allowed the use of the yard south of the University, as 

 the same is now inclosed, for the cultivation of plants there, 

 at his own expense, during the pleasure of the board.' " 



