HISTORICAL SKETCH. 
13 
searches, exchanges and purchases. I calculate 
that mine containing over 10,000 species and 
50,000 specimens, has cost me nearly $ 2000 
in actual expenses of time, money, travels, pa- 
per, boxes, correspondence, transportation, books 
of reference &c. 
Other Botanists acquire fine Herbals at the 
risk of their health and life, Botany having also 
its martyrs ; among whom I will mention Lyons, 
Pursh, Berrich, Baldwin, Conrad, H. H. Eaton, 
Walton, Ward, Hart, Drummond, Douglass <^c 
who have fallen victims to their zeal in arduous 
travels, or from diseases contracted by their 
labors : although some did perhaps fall victims 
to alcohol rather than Botany, like Pursh . . . 
and others (Schweinitz and Berrich) were 
rather Victims of Tobacco ! both foul poisons 
and destroyers of human life. Botanists are 
however generaly sober and healthy, the pur- 
suit of this Science is calculated to improve 
their habits and health. Baldwin, Waterhouse, 
and Conrad were victims of Phthisis and im- 
proper food ; Botany probably lengthened their 
lives, as it has mine after finding out how to 
overcome this disease by my medical knowl- 
edge of our plants. 
In voyages by Sea or Steamboats, some Bo- 
tanists have been wrecked like myself, losing 
their collections, and not always so happy as to 
escape even with life like myself in 1815. I 
have had also some narrow escapes on the 
Ohio. Lherminier lost all his collections like 
myself in Carolina. 
The rewards for all these dangers and ex- 
penses are scanty as yet with us. We have 
few professorships of Botany, and this useful 
science is too much neglected in our Schools. 
