THE BAXKSIAX HERBARIUM AMD LIBRARY. 
53 
the “Cherokee Country” in 1769; Peter Kalm (1717-79); William Clifton 
{fl. 1765); Dr. John Mitchell {d. 1772); and Archibald Menzies (1754-1842). 
Among West Indian collectors may be mentioned Olof Swartz (1760-1818), 
who contributed largely to the herbarium and worked at the material therein 
preserved, obtained by previous collectors ; the results of his researches are 
included in his “Prodromus” (1783), where he pays a high tribute to Banks: “Non 
poterunt immortales perillustris hujui viri digne satis celebrari laudes ” ; Henri de 
Ponthieu sent plants from the Caribbee Islands in 1778; William Wright (1735- 
1819), and Roger Shakespear, from Jamaica, the latter collected in 1777-82; 
Ale.vander Anderson {d. 1815), plants from Demerara in 1791, and later from the 
St. Vincent Garden, of which he was curator; John Greg, plants from Dominica, 
collected 1777.* 
Following was Robert Brown’s opinion of the Banksian Herbarium ; — 
As I have everywhere mentioned the sources from which my knowledge both 
of genera and species is derived, it becomes unnecessary particularly to notice 
here the extent of my obligations to the unrivalled herbarium of Sir Joseph Banks, 
who, with his accustomed liberality, has permitted me to examine, and, where 
necessary, to dissect such specimens as seemed to have any peculiarity of structure, 
and has thus enabled me to found my genera on a more satisfactory induction 
than I could have done in any other part of the world.t 
(The following is a transcript of a folio sheet of memoranda [in Robert Brown’s 
hand], which is among the archives of the National Herbarium. The information 
it contains may be worth placing on record. A few notes are added in square 
brackets. — Ed. Joiirn. Bot.) 
-Memoranda respecting the Banksian Herbarium and Library, copied from 
notes in Sir Joseph Banks’ writing, in a folio book, which he began in 
the year 1777. 
1. Soc. Unit. Frat. (Societas Unitatis Fratruiu) — (.Moravians). 
In the year 1774 I agreed with some of the brethren of this society who resided 
at Tranquebar, to send me home dried si)ecimens of such plants as they could 
procure, at the rate of sixpence for a specimen of any species in flower, and as 
much for a specimen in seed, myself to send out paper for drying at my own 
expense; but to pay no more than two si.xjx;nces for any species, nor more than 
one unless it was sent in both the above mention’d states. In the year 1775 I 
received from them about 265 s{)ecies, for which 1 paid ilr. (Hurlock) apothecary 
in St. Paul’s Churchyard, according to the aforesaid rate. (A second collection 
of about similar extent, was received by Banks in April, 1778.) 
2. Herb. Helvet. (Herbarium Helveticum). 
In the year 1775, Dr. Pitcairn was, by a correspondent in Switzerland, offered 
the purchase of a large herbarium, the collector of which was dead, and the whole 
to be sold for the benefit of the widow. As the Doctor made no collection of dried 
plants he proposed it to me. I readily agreed, and a letter was returned desiring 
that if the price asked for it was reasonable it might be purchased and forwarded 
directly to me. It accordingly arrived, consisting of twenty-nine large pasteboard 
covers tilled with plants loose on sheets of paper; the purchase money, charges 
of carriage, duty, &c., of which amounted to £39. As yet, however, I have not 
been able to have the name of the person who collected it. (To this Brown adds . 
“ So far. Sir Joseph; in Dryander's hand in pencil follows,* It was Dick.’ ”) 
3. Hort. Gordon. 
James Gordon, an old, experienced nurseryman, inventor of many improvements 
in the art of cultivation. His nursery grounds lie on the right hand of the road 
from Mile-end to Bow, soon after you enter the parish of Bromley. In the year 
• J. Britten, Journal of Botany, vol. xliii, pp. 122-124 (1905). 
t R. Brown’s Collected Works (Bay. Soc.), ii, 199. 
