* 
_ Flora Rossica, which he commenced under 
the auspices of the Empress Catherine IL, 
is a remarkable work, whose imperfect state 
is much to be regretted. It was intended 
` to contain all the rarest aud most interest- 
ing plants of this empire, and to be adorn- 
ed with five hundred engravings, but the 
first century alone was published, Twenty- 
five plates of the second century,.or second 
volume, were executed, but without text, 
which the Academy is, at the very present 
time, endeavouring to supply, with the in- 
tention of carrying on this great national 
work, in a style conformable to the present 
state of science. The Flora of Crimea re- 
ceived some illustrations by Pallas’s work 
. upon the geography and natural produc- 
 - ons of Tauria. The vegetation of Mon- 
. golia was utterly unknown when the Apo- 
= thecary Sievers had occasion to visit part 
ae of that country ; he accompanied an expe- 
dition that was sent in 1790 to the frontiers 
of China, with the express purpose of ob- 
taining information on the plant which 
yields Rhubarb, and there he gathered 
many new and rare plants, of which Pallas, 
decease, described the greater por- 
tion. The year 1799 witnessed the appear- 
ance of the Flora of St. Petersburg, by 
Professor Sobolewsky, father of the learned 
Metallurgist, who is our contemporary. 
_ About this time Botany, which had 
. flourished exclusively in Petersburg, and 
z eminently i in the Academy there, seemed 
m 
E 
_ famed for its vegetable riches, when a new 
botanical establishment was founded, which 
‘Count Razoumovsky, at Gorenki, near 
"Moscow. As it often happens that great 
dug Besse in the admiration t that 
PROGRESS OF BOTANY IN RUSSIA. 
181 
its owner felt for a flowering specimen of 
the Night-blowing Cereus (Cactus gran- 
diflorus). 
Professor Stephan had directed the first 
operations of this garden, but its future 
development, its extensive connexions and 
wide-spread celebrity are due to M. Fischer, 
who was the director of it until the demise 
of Count Razoumovsky, with whom this 
noble establishment was to begin and ter- 
minate. The Gorenki Garden had become 
a depositary for the whole Flora of Russia, 
the most beautiful and rare plants from all 
parts of the empire were sent thither, and 
there were cultivated. The library attached : 
to this institution was rich in valuable and 
rare works, and now constitutes, together 
with that of the late Professor Stephan, 
the foundation of the magnificent library 
of the Imperial Garden at St. aun. 
which is perhaps the finest and most co 
plete of its kind which can be seen in Eu. 
rope. The Phytographical Society at Go- 
renki was also commenced, where the pub- 
lication of an important botanical work, 
and many others which promised to confer 
great benefits on science, were in progress 
of execution, when the national disasters 
of the year 1812 destroyed these, and in 
part the very garden itself Hardly had 
the severe casualties of this period been 
* 
repaired, when the death of the Count, at 
a very advanced age, put a termination to 
the whole. Here let me be permitted to 
say a few words respecting Count Razou- 
movsky—I owe this mark of gratitude to 
the patron of Botany and the man of worth, 
under whose auspices I have passed some 
of the happiest years of my life. 
Count Alexis Razoumovsky, without 
having studied Botany deeply, yet being 
possessed of considerable talent, and ani- 
mated by a great love for science, had 
arrived at the acquisition of much know- 
ledge, and being a man of an enlightened 
mind, enjoying also a stupendous fortune, 
he made great sacrifices for the promotion 
of science. The expeditions which were 
made at his expense to the interior of the — 
empire, by Rédowsky, Londes, Tauscher, 
and Hermann; the correspondence i into 
m^" 
tiu: at 
