80 THE BOTANISTS OF PHILADELPHIA. 



which he had purchased, near the Bradford Meetmg-house, 

 adjoining the site of the present village of Marshallton. 

 The botanic garden was founded in the year 1773. The 

 same year the Legislature of Pennsylvania established a 

 loan office, and appointed Humphry Marshall one of the 

 trustees. These trustees were continued in office until 

 December, 1777, when, owing to difficulties in the discharge 

 of their duties — arising out of the Revolutionary conflict — 

 they neglected or refused longer to serve, and were super- 

 seded. 



In 1780 Humphry began to prepare an account of the 

 forest trees and shrubs of this country, which was com- 

 pleted and printed in the latter end of the year 1785, under 

 the title of "Arbustrum Americanum : the American Grove, 

 or, an Alphabetical Catalogue of Forest Trees and Shrubs, 

 natives of the American United States." It forms a duo- 

 decimo volume of one hundred and sixty-nine pages ; and 

 is believed to be the first truly indigenous botanical book 

 published in this western hemisphere. The arrangement, 

 being alphabetical, is rather inconvenient, and ill-suited to 

 investigators, who are acquainted with the genera. The 

 descriptions are in accordance with the Linnsean system, 

 and are, for the most part, faithful and satisfactory. The 

 book is dedicated to the officers and members of the 

 American Philosophical Society, and was for that day, 

 and under the circumstances, a useful and highly creditable 

 performance. 



On the 29th of March, 1785, Humphry Marshall was 

 elected an honorary member of the Philadelphia Society for 

 Promoting Agriculture, " the Society inviting his assistance." 

 And in February of the following year he sent them an 



