FG ROE Po ge ip Rep CF uke giioes bp te MEY oT Da att Gs a 
JOURNAL 
OF 
The New York Botanical Garden 
Vou. XX June, 1919 No. 234 
BRACKENRIDGE AND HIS BOOK ON FERNS. 
William D. Brackenridge was born at Ayr, Scotland, June 10, 
1810. In his youth he was trained as a gardener, and was in 
charge of Dr. Patrick Neill’s grounds at Canonmills, Edinburgh. 
He then spent several years on the Continent, part of the time 
on an estate in Poland and the rest studying under Garden- 
director Friedrich Otto at Berlin. His knowledge of the German 
language, acquired during these years, proved of much value to 
him in his later travels. About 1837 he came to America, and 
entered the employ of Robert Buist of Philadelphia, the famous 
nurseryman. In 1838 a great opportunity presented itscl! to 
collect and study plants in fields rarely visited by the botanist, 
and he seems to have seized it with avidity. 
For several years the United States government had been 
planning to send out a scientific expedition for the exploration of 
the Pacific. The plans were at first rather chaotic, and there 
were changes in commanders, alterations in the personnel of the 
scientific staff, and delays in the selection of vessels and the 
collection of supplies. As early as the summer of 1836, Asa 
Gray was slated as botanist of the expedition, and William Rich 
as assistant botanist. Nearly all arrangements for sailing had 
been completed in November, 1837. when the commander, 
Captain Jones, was taken sick. In the following year the com- 
mand was transferred to Charles Wilkes, who entirely reorganized 
the work and conducted it in a masterful way until its comrple- 
tion. En July, 1838, Gray tendered his resignation, which was 
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