THE BOTANISTS OF PHILADELPHIA. 105 



rarities. From Mr. Tweedie, for whom Sir William 

 Hooker named a Verbena, V. Tweediana and the genus of 

 plants Tiveedia, he obtained the above-mentioned Verbena. 

 Through the Mexican Minister, Mr. Poinsett, Polnsettia 

 pulcherrima was introduced. 



Mr. Buist was well known by his writings. His " Rose 

 Manual," his " Family Kitchen Garden," and his " Flower 

 Garden Director}^," were in their day the principal prac- 

 tical garden guides. 



Personally, Mr. Buist was tall, and to his death as straight 

 as a well-trained soldier. He was thrice married. His eldest 

 son died before his father, Robert, his onl}^ living son, 

 carrying on the business since his father's death, wdiich 

 occurred July 13, 1880, at Rosedale, Philadelphia. 



ROBERT BRIDGES. 



Dr. Robert Bridges * was born in Philadelphia, ^larch 

 5, 1806, and died in the city, February 20, 1882, at the ripe 

 age of nearly seventy-six years. He was elected a meml^er 

 of the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences January, 

 1835, and held many offices of trust in that institution and 

 the American Philosophical Society, of which he was also a 

 member. 



His work in botan}^ consisted of an Index of the Genera 

 in the Herbarium of the Academy prepared by him and 

 Dr. Paul B. Goddard, presented xlugust, 1835. He was 

 elected a member of the Botanical Committee, January, 1836, 

 was chairman of it from December, 1846, and served till 

 December, 1857, twenty-one years, when he declined re-elec- 

 tion. On the 23d of May, 1843, he presented a new Index 



* A fine oil painting of Dr. Bridges is hung in the library of the Academy of 



Natural Sciences. 



