ON THE 



BOTANY OF THE UNITED STATES. 



»00®OOt 



I, 



-N every country an accurate knowledge of its internal 

 resources, forms an object of political importance. But a 

 description of its natural productions is connected with the 

 interest of society at large, and eminently calculated to il- 

 lustrate those indications of goodness and intelligence, which 

 may be traced in every form of matter, from a particle of 

 earth to the wonderful construction of an organized and 

 sentient being."* 



These sentiments should be felt by every well wisher of 

 science ; and every enterprising and well disposed citizen, 

 will be willing to contribute, as far as he is able, to the in- 

 formation here contemplated. Under this conviction, I have 

 determined to address you this evening on the Botany of 

 the United States. A subject which, considering our 

 peculiar and important advantages for its cultivation, has 

 been, I conceive, much neglected. I propose, first of all, 

 to call your attention to some of the advantages which we 

 possess for the study and improvement of Botany. 



A country can scarcely be said to exist till the period of 

 its civilization. The savage, with a mind uninformed by 

 knowledge, and affected by no desires or emotions, but those 

 of immediate preservation and enjoyment, passes, with little 

 regard, the most important productions of nature. Even 

 those which by their novelty or usefulness have engaged his 

 attention to-day, will often be forgotten in the hurry of to- 

 morrow. Of Botany, he knows nothing. He has a slight 

 and imperfect acquaintance only with a few medicinal and 



* Edinburgh Review. 



