Dr. Hooker on American Botany. 27^ 



in the year 1314, there appeared in Anaerica, printed at 

 Boston, the Florula Bostonimsis, or a Collection of Plants 

 of Boston and its environs, by Jacoo Bigelow, M.D. in I vol. 

 8vo. It is in English, and strictly arranged according to the 

 Linnaan system, it was destined principally for the use of 

 the students in Botany ; and the plants described therein 

 were all collected during two seasons, in the immediate vici- 

 nity of Boston, or within a circuit of from five to ten miles j 

 and although very few new species are added, the number of 

 individuals is very considerable for so limited a space.* Du- 

 ring the year 1816, accompanied by our valued friend Dr. 

 Francis Boott, Dr. Bigelow examined the botany of the 

 White Mountains in New-Hampshire, and pul)lished an ac- 

 count of it in the Neio- England Journal of Medicine and Sur- 

 gery for that year. This was one amont.. many other journeys 

 made by these gentlemen in the New-F^ngland States, with a 

 view to the publication of a Flora of that district. The de- 

 sign, however, has been relinquished, and the principal cause, 

 since it has arisen froth Dr. Boott's naturalization among us, 

 we ought not to regret. Science, however, has been a suf- 

 ferer ; for, from our personal knowledge of this gentleman, 

 we are satisfied that he would have been a most able and zea- 

 lous coadjutor in such an undertaking- A very extensive col- 

 lection of the plants of that country has been liberally pre- 

 sented to us by Dr. Boott, which has satisfied us, that in the 

 art of preserving specimens, no one has ever exceeded, or 

 perhaps ever equalled him ; and the names are very frequent-- 

 ly accompanied by valuable notes. 



It is delightful to see a man, of the talents and rank in li-l'e 

 of Mr. Elliott of Charleston, the excellent Pre^^ident of the 

 Literary and Philosophical Society of South Carolina, deeply 

 engaged in important public affairs, yet cheerfully devoting 

 his leisure hours to the promotion of the arts and of science, 

 and actually engaged in publishing a Flora, under the unas- 

 suming title of a Sketch of the Flora of South Carolina and 



* At the moment of our sending' these notices to the press, vre have 

 received from its esteemed author, who is a Fj'ofessor in Harvard Col- 

 lege, New Cambridge, a second edition of the Florulor BostomKnsis, 

 containing about twice the number of plants enumerated in the first 

 edition, and also many valuable remarks, particularly on the useful na- 

 tures and qualities of the species. Dr. Bigelow is also tlie author of a 

 valuable work, entitled, American Me-di ml Bo/nny. begun in 1^17, ot 

 which thrf>e parts have reached vs. 



