INTRODUCTION, 39 



HISTORY. 



It would be an interesting branch of the subject 

 if I had the necessary space at my command, to 

 give an adequate historical sketch of the cultivation of 

 this branch of botanical science in America. It would 

 be especially so if I could allow myself to give even 

 a brief account of the most distinguished workers in 

 this field. But I cannot. The enumeration of a 

 few names, dates, and incidents is all I can expect 

 to. find room for at this time. 



Of course I am not in possession of data by 

 which I can ever tell how many scores or hundreds 

 of people every year employ their leisure hours by 

 the sea-side, in collecting, mounting, and arranging 

 these plants. We know of a few of them who have 

 given their collections to botanists to write about. 



The first person who seems ever to have interested 

 himself in American Algae, vvas Mr. Archibald Menzies, 

 who singularly enough made his collections on the 

 Pacific Coast. The Phyllospora from that coast which 

 bears his name, was described, from plants which he 

 brought from there by the celebrated Dawson Turner, 

 in the early part of this century. He accompanied 

 Vancouver in his expedition to North Western 

 America in 1792-3, and with him sailed around the 

 world. 



