656 
president’s address. 
Smith says, “ In my young time this circle (of Naturalists 
at Norwich) was peculiarly enriched by the possession of 
Mr. Rose, Mr. Bryant, and Mr. Pitchford, three names well 
known to all who are conversant with the botany of Britain. 
They were often favoured with the society of the learned and 
amiable Stillingfleet and the correspondence of Hudson, and 
they may all together be considered as the founders of Linnsean 
botany in England, to the promulgation of which the publica- 
tions of Rose, Stillingfleet, and Hudson have contributed 
more than any others whatever-; while the indefatigable, 
practical labours of Mr. Bryant and Mr. Pitchford were daily 
enriching the science with new discoveries.” 6 
The Norwich botanists were in touch with the Rev. John 
Lightfoot (1735-88), author of “ Flora Scotica,” 1777. He 
corresponded with James Crowe, and in a letter written to 
James Smith, “ your truly affectionate and sincere friend, 
J. Lightfoot,” says “I thank you much for your kind endeavour 
to bring Mr. Pitchford and myself together.” ' 1 ' In Lightfoot’s 
copy of Dillenius’ Ray preserved at Oxford Botanical Garden, 
there are many MS. records of Norfolk plants found by 
Bryant and Crowe, and four by Pitchford (teste Mr. G. C. 
Druce in litt.). Sir James Smith says of Liparis ( Malaxis) 
Loeselii, “ the late Mr. Pitchford, who first met with this 
species in Norfolk, exchanged his only specimen with Mr. 
Lightfoot for above sixty of the rarest British plants.” 15 
Mr. Pitchfoid was a frequent correspondent of Mr. Lightfoot 
and Mr. Hudson. 
Mr. Rose and Mr. Hudson maintained a correspondence for 
nearly thirty years, having been introduced to each other by 
Mr. Pitchford soon after the publication of “Flora Anglica ” 
in 1762. When John Pitchford was a student of physic in 
London he had made the acquaintance of Mr. Hudson. John 
Pitchford, surgeon, born in 1737 (?), settled in Norwich in 
1769, according to Sir James Smith; but already he had 
known Mr. Rose for some years, he had discovered Holosteum 
umbellatum in Norwich in 1765, and had found Liparis 
Loeselii at St. Faiths Newton Bogs in 1767. 
