234 HISTORY OF BOTANY. 



labours of others of more general utility, but adding to the common 

 stock the result of years of inquiry and observation. 



To go back to the infancy of Botany in the United States, we find 

 the name of Bartram stands recorded in history, as that of the first 

 native of our country who was conspicuous for botanical researches. 

 Houston investigated the region of Canada, and described many of 

 its plants ; in honour of him is named the little flower Houstonia 

 ccerulea, which is abundant in New England. Clayton made a list 

 of Virginian plants, and is commemorated in the beautiful Claytonia 

 virginica. Kalm, a pupil of Linnaeus, whose name is given to the 

 Kalmia, (American laurel,) spent three years in America, and re- 

 turned to Europe laden with botanical treasures; the sight of the 

 American plants brought by his pupil, many of which were entirely 

 new to him, is said to have produced such an effect upon Linnaeus, 

 that although lying ill of the gout, and unable to move, his spirits 

 were rekindled, and in the delight of his mind he forgot his bodily 

 anguish, and recovered from his disease.* 



Although American works on Botany are not wanting, the author nf 

 these Lectures found no one book, either foreign or American, which 

 seemed designed to conduct the pupil through a full and connected 

 course of study. To bring together in one' volume the Elements of 

 Vegetable Anatomy and Physiology, the principles on which the 

 Natural and Artificial Classification depend, and to teach these sys- 

 tems by a full exposition of them, and by a Flora of Plants, for prac- 

 tice in analytical Botany— these have been the objects in view in the 

 prepg.ration of this work, Its publicatioji, we hope, has removed the 

 obstacles which forjnerly impeded the progress of botanical infor- 

 mation, in schools, and among our own sex. We have seen that 

 even children may become botanists, and lay aside their toys to di- 

 vert themselves by distinguishing the prgans of plants and tracing out 

 their classification. 



Of all sciences, perhaps no one is settled on a firmer fovindation 



♦ Among the earliest botanists of North America, were Golden, Michaux, and Muhl- 

 enberg ; Pursh was the first who finished a system of North American plants, so ar- 

 ranged as to be useful to the student. Some of the first teachers of the science were 

 Barton, Hosack, and Mitchill. The first public lecturer on Bptanv, was Professor 

 Amos Eaton. Dr. Bigelow gave a course of lectures in Boston, in the year 1813, aiid 

 soon after published his Boston Flora. Professor Ives and Dr. Tully did much in 

 New England towards awakening a zeal for the science, in the years 1815 and 1816 ^ 

 and at a later period. Dr. Sumner has pursued and illustrated the study with much 

 ardour and success. 



Want of books was a great impediment to the progress of the science when Eaton 

 published his Manual of Botany ; this book gave a new impulse to the progress of the 

 science ; its familiar method and simple style induced many to commence the study. 

 This was followed by many other works describing plants, and several elementary 

 >Vorks; of the former class were Nuttall's Genera. Elliott's Southern Plants, Barton's 

 Flora of Philadelphia, Darlington's, Torrey's, and Bigelow's Floras ; these furnished 

 descriptions of most American plants, not included in the works of Pursh. Among 

 Elementary books are " Barton's Elements," a large work containing much that is 

 interesting in the physiology of Plants; "Lock's Botany," a small book, but ex- 

 hibiting a plan of arrangement simple and methodical; " Sumner's Compendium of 

 Botany," written in a beautiful and pure style; and more recently, "Nuttall's Elemen- 

 tary Work," which gives in popular language more facts with regard to plants, than 

 almost any other work of the kind ; a small work entitled "Catechism of Botany," 

 by Miss Jane Welsh, was the first attempt by an American lady to illustrate the 

 science. Professor Lindley's late work, entitled " Introduction to the Natural Sys- 

 tem of Botany," though it may be highly useful to the advanced student, cannot be 

 studied with advantage except by the practical botanist. Beck's Botany is a neat and 

 beautiful introduction to the natural system, and his descriptions of Genera and Spe- 

 cies are valuable. 



Bartram, and some others— Houston— Clayton— Kalm— Objects of this work. 



