BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA. 211 



the whole range of botanical literature in the accuracy and beauty of its 

 illustrations, the Flora Boreali- Americana afforded the means of developing 

 still more fully a knowledge of the Canadian Flora. The North American 

 Flora of Torrey and Gray, and the Manual of the Botany of the Northern 

 States, offered additional temptations to the pursuit ; but advances have 

 not been made commensurate with the advantages that were offered. We 

 have still, therefore, the singular anomaly of a country distinguished by its 

 liberal patronage to science, dependent for its information respecting its 

 native plants on the descriptions of specimens culled by early travellers. 

 What was thirty years ago, and is now, of the highest value can only in a 

 partial manner meet the wants of the country in these days, when new 

 manufactures and new forms of industry, seeking new products to work 

 upon, are daily springing up around us. We desire to place the science of 

 botany on a more satisfactory footing in Canada than that which it now 

 holds ; we desire to increase the existing stock of knowledge ; we desire to 

 diffuse a taste for the study, so as to add to the number of labourers now 

 in the field ; and we desire to place on record new observations and 

 discoveries as they arise. The Botanical Society is, therefore, de- 

 signed as a means of carrying out purposes such as these. Canada 

 must follow the salutary example of other old established British 

 colonies, and conduct for herself investigations into the nature and distri- 

 bution of her indigenous productions. We already possess in Canada 

 several important scientific societies in active operation. While the Cana- 

 dian Institute is of a comprehensive character, embracing all branches of 

 science, literature, and philosophy, the special department of geology is 

 amply cultivated by the Natural History Society of Montreal, which has 

 also, however, made valuable contributions to zoology and botany. In 

 addition to such institutions as these, we have, of still more special character, 

 the Government Geological Survey, which has been instrumental in 

 carrying out investigations of the greatest importance to the country, 

 whether their results be viewed as intellectual achievements or as contri- 

 butions to material industry. It is proposed that our society shall have for 

 its object the advancement of botanical science in all its departments — 

 structural, physiological, systematic, and geographical ; and the application 

 of botany to the useful and ornamental arts of life. The means by which 

 this object may be accomplished are various, and will come before us for 

 discussion from time to time. In the meantime, it is proposed that there 

 shall be monthly evening meetings in Kingston during the winter for the 

 reading of papers, receiving botanical intelligence, examining specimens, 

 and discussing matters of scientific interest in relation to the science ; also 

 that there shall be field meetings during the summer in distant localities in 

 Canada, as well as in the other British Provinces of North America, and 

 occasionally also in the adjoining States, whereby our members may have 

 an opportunity of investigating the botany of districts that have been 

 imperfectly examined. By the above, and similar means, much important 

 information may be brought together. Such facts and results, new to 



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