EDMOND BOISSIER. 1 



Edmond Boissier died on the 25th of September, at his 

 country residence in Canton Vaud, Switzerland, at the age of 

 seventy-five years and three months. Having known him per- 

 sonally almost from the beginning of his botanical career, 

 which has been so honorable and distinguished, it is a melan- 

 choly satisfaction as well as a duty, to pay this passing tribute 

 to his memory. 



Boissier came from one of those worthy families which were 

 lost to France and gained to Geneva by the revocation of the 

 Edict of Nantes, — a family that has proved its talents and 

 high character in more than one of its members. Madame 

 the Countess de Gasparin is a sister next to him in age, and 

 the two had their education very much in common. He was 

 born at Geneva, May 25, 1810, brought up and educated 

 there, except that the summers were passed at his father's 

 place at Valeyres, which he in time inherited, and where his 

 life was closed. From his youth he was fond of natural his- 

 tory and of travel. It was not in his disposition, nor of the 

 Genevese spirit of that day, to lead an aimless life ; so, when 

 he came to choose what may be called his profession, it was 

 natural that, at Geneva, in the days of the elder De Can- 

 dolle, he took to botany. He showed his great good sense by 

 his early judicious choice of a field and by his unbroken devo- 

 tion to it. To the Mediterranean region, to southern Spain, 

 and the Orient most of his work relates. After a year or two 

 of careful preparation he went to Spain, in 1837, explored 

 especially Granada and the eastern Pyrenees, and between 

 1839 and 1845 brought out his " Voyage Botanique dans le 

 midi de l'Espagne," in two large quarto volumes, the first of 

 narrative and plates, one hundred and eighty in number, the 

 1 American Journal of Science and Arts, xxxi. 20. (1886.) 



