VI PREFAGE. 



of any foreign clime, even where supported by the patronage 

 of royalty. It is but reasonable, howev- r, that an empire 

 extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, and 

 embracing in its latitudinal dimensions every climate of the 

 earth, and whose Flora, no doubt co-extensive with its va- 

 riety of climes and soils, raust^form a very large division of 

 the vegetable kingdom, should possess botanic collections 

 equal to those of the countries of Europe, and which should 

 concentrate at least all the plants indigenous to our own. 



As medical practice is so nearly connected with the 

 science of botany, it is the desire of the proprietor to add to 

 the establishment all exotics which have been celebrated for 

 Iheir medicinal properties; and arrangements have been 

 made, which will greatly extend that part of the collection, 

 and by far the greater number of those which are natives of 

 our own country, and whose medicinal virtues have been 

 established by the investigations of Drs. Bigelow and Bar* 

 ton, and which have been figured in their respective publica* 

 lions, will already be found in the collection. One considera- 

 tion of particular interest with the proprietor, is the concen- 

 tration, as far as possible, of the indigenous vegetable pro- 

 ductions of our own country, the riches of whose Flora has 

 been yet but partially developed to the world, and he soli- 

 cits the aid of gentlemen of science and leisure who reside 

 in distant localities, to contribute to his establishment, by 

 sending him the seeds of the native Irees and plants growing 

 in their respective vicinities, and he is particularly anxious to 

 receive seeds of every species of the Grape, the Plum, and 

 the Rose. These contributions will be reciprocated by a re- 

 turn of seeds and plants acceptable to them. 



At the period at which this Garden Was commenced, fevv 

 of the finer fruits of Europe had yet found their way to Ame- 

 rica, and no person had yet paid an)^ attention to the amelio- 

 ration or improvement of such as our own country afforded ; 

 but, at the present time, we have not only by far the greater 

 part of the most celebrated fruits of Europe and Asia, but 

 can also boast the origin of many which rival those of the old 

 world, and which are sought after with avidity by the inha- 

 bitants of the eastern hemisphere, and are considered by 

 Ihem as valuable acquisitions to their already great collect 

 tions ; and, that our country is every way equal to others in 

 the improvement and perpetuity of fruits, is a truth no longer 

 doubted. 



The principle uporrwhich.this establishment has been con-^ 



