198 Account of the Botanic Garden 



\vent to Copenhagen, and, being in want of money, sold his 

 herbarium and journal to the professor of physic at the uni- 

 versity, Kratzenstein, who immediately presented both to Rott- 

 boell. The manuscript was afterwards given to the privy 

 counsellor, Count Thott ; and when the great library of this 

 nobleman was sold, Vahl had the good fortune to purchase 

 the MS., which contained much valuable matter. (See 

 HornemamUs Life of Rolander.) 



The hortus siccus of Forsksel was of great importance ; and 

 though after its arrival at Copenhagen it was mismanaged 

 and deranged, it still contains many good specimens. Vahl 

 and Schedmacher were entrusted by Rottboell to arrange this 

 collection; and they, having leave to select some of the dupli- 

 cates for themselves, have consequently preserved the best. 

 Rottboell's collection is now of no great consequence, especially 

 as Vahl has described the best in his Symhola Botdnica. 



After the death of the natural philosopher, P. C. Abild- 

 gaard, professor at the veterinary college, Viborg succeeded 

 as director of this school in 1801 ; and, having previously been 

 elected author for the continuation of the Flora Ddnica, &c., 

 was now also made professor of botany. 



Before the year 1754, botany was not considered as a science 

 requiring a special professor, and therefore was usually at- 

 tached to that of medicine. Oeder was the first botanical 

 professor ; but, on his retiring, it again merged into the pro- 

 fessorship of medicine, and so continued till Viborg's appoint- 

 ment. 



During Vahl's direction, and with the able assistance of the 

 superintendent, F. L. Holboell, the culture of the plants re- 

 ceived quite a new impulse ; their names were corrected, useless 

 incumbrances cleared away, and a new classification and gene- 

 ral arrangement adopted. In 1801, the author of this memoir 

 was appointed lecturer in botany. His Highness the Duke 

 of Augustenburgh, who was an active member of the directory, 

 strongly recommended the improvement of the garden to the 

 king, who granted a liberal sum of money to pay off the debts 

 of the establishment, and to build a new hot-house, &c. Vahl 

 died in 1804; and having in his latter years occupied much 

 of his time in composing his Enumerdtio Plaiitdrum, conse- 

 quently had but little time to dedicate to the garden : the 

 writer succeded to the united offices of professor and lecturer 

 in botany, and author of Flora Ddnica. 



The present garden contains somewhat more than five 

 English acres, inclusive of buildings, which, with all appurte- 

 nances, was, in 1817, presented to the university by His Ma- 

 jesty, who at the same time ordered the director to resign, 



