236 THE BOTANISTS OF PHILADELPHIA. 



Part II. — " The Nut-Bearers." Numerous species. 



No. 4. — "The Chestnuts and Beeches." — American, Japanese 

 and European Chestnuts. 



No. 5. — "The Walnuts." — American, Japanese and European 

 species and varieties. 



No. 6. — " The Hickories." — American species and varieties. 

 Parts III and IV, which are to follow in due order, will consist of 

 species chosen from the most useful or ornamental of our other timber and 

 shade trees. 



THOMAS CONRAD PORTER. 



Dr. Porter was born at Alexandria, Huntingdon County, 

 Pennsylvania, January 22, 1822. He is of Scotch-Irish 

 descent on his father's side, and of pure German on that of 

 his mother. After two years' preparation in the Harrisburg 

 Academy, he entered Lafayette College in 1836, receiving 

 his first degree in 1840. Passing through the full course of 

 Princeton Theological Seminary, he was licensed to preach 

 by the Presbytery of Huntingdon, in May, 1844. For one 

 year from April, 1846, he served a mission church in 

 Central Georgia. In May, 1848, he took charge of the 

 Second Reformed Church of Reading, Pennsylvania, then 

 just organized, and was ordained and installed as its pastor. 

 In May, 1849, he resigned, to become Professor of the 

 Natural Sciences in Marshall College, Mercersburg, Penn- 

 sylvania, then under the presidency of the Rev. Dr. J. W. 

 Nevin. On its removal and consolidation with Franklin 

 College, at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1853, he was elected 

 to the same chair, and became a member, and the Secretary 

 of the Board of Trustees, and Chairman of the Building 

 Committee. These positions were given up July, 1866, in 

 order to accept from his Alma Mater the chair which he 

 has now occupied for a quarter of a century. During this 



