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TEODORO CARUEL. 959 
and devoted students of botany, with whom he became acquainted 
about 1850, he undertook with them a series of excursions in the 
plains iy Tuscan ny, and to the islands off the west coast of Italy, 
and also to Taree points of interest in the Apennines. As a 
result a these excursions there was accumulated a store of 
materials for geet which formed more than a nucleus of the 
important siilestiiin which, at his death, was to go to the university 
Pisa. These early years of Caruel were entirely devoted to the 
study of nae chiefly in the field; and, in recognition of his 
industry, in 1858 he was appointed by the Granducal Adminis- 
tration assistant to Taek Parlatore. Under the direction of his 
botany, so far as it has been contributed by the Florentine school. 
At this time the methodical and organizing mind of Parlatore, 
engined, as it were, ire the tenacity and characters zeal which 
was his own, was raising a scientific monument w ecame & 
precious heritage e pos successors. Florence very tip tly became 
the scientific centre to which botanical aspirants in the several 
Pp f floras of many countries, with special lene re the 
ssa of the Italian peninsula. Parlatore then made elaborate 
preparations to take in hand the Italian flora, and to nese the 
systematic arrangement of the plants found to occur the 
It was at this time, and for some years afterwards, that ‘political 
events and the factors which were making for the unification of 
aspira- 
he threw ‘ae and soul into the movement. It is perhaps to be 
regretted ae a man of science should so far forget his lofty 
mission as to take any serious interest in the ephemeral affairs of 
polities ; bat en at that time could help being influenced to some 
extent by the forces which emancipated men from the coarser 
associations of what was left of medieval rule. 
Caruel’s first contributions to botany, which appeared about 
this ame, showed a sagacious and intimate acquaintance with the 
Tuscan flora; and soon assured for him a position of recognition 
as an piel in scientific botany. The herbarium of Andr 
ut 15 
Caruel the opportunity of producing his first important memoir, 
which followed some short studies on the flowers of drum macu- 
s 2 
