50 
LIVERPOOL CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
tion and physiology of plants; and I may also add, that notwithstanding we have so 
many facilities for becoming thoroughly acquainted with this science, yet comparatively 
very few have anything like an intimate knowledge of the vegetable kingdom,—not even 
of those plants, either indigenous or cultivated, with which we come into contact in our 
rambles in the country. In Britain we are not favoured with that gorgeous and luxuri¬ 
ant vegetation which commands the admiration of travellers in the tropics, and which 
often induces a love of botanical pursuits, and a desire to cultivate the science more inti¬ 
mately ; yet we are not without a profusion of vegetable beauty, which has enraptured 
those who have seen a good deal of the world. A popular writer has recently and enthu¬ 
siastically made the following remark :—“ We back Great Britain and Ireland against 
the w'orld for possessing the richest treasures of all that is beautiful, grand, and loveable 
in nature.” It is also recorded that when Linnaeus visited this country in the year 1736, 
and for the first time beheld the bright golden blossoms of the gorse or furze (Ulex 
Europceus ) on the broad spreauing commons near London, especially on Putney Heath, 
so great was his delight that he fell on his knees in a rapture at the sight. He was 
always an admirer of this plant, and vainly tried to preserve it through a Swedish winter 
in his greenhouse. It is a plant with which you are all acquainted ; and those of you 
who have visited West Kirby, in Cheshire, about this time of the year, and seen it bloom¬ 
ing in such profusion, will not wonder at the ecstasy of delight which was produced in 
the mind of the great naturalist. 
There is however a growing taste springing up in this country for this delightful study ; 
and when we look at the success which has attended the society which was originated 
by this Association, and having for its chief object a better and more practical acquaint¬ 
ance with the indigenous plants of this district, namely, the Liverpool Naturalists’ Pield 
Club, we may look forward with confidence to the future. 
A national impetus is often given to the study of a branch of science when we 
find it taken up and 'Cultivated by men renowned for their scientific attainments, or 
by the example of those who in their social position might be expected to influence 
the popular mind and taste. It is well known that the late lamented Prince Consort 
took considerable interest in this department of natural history, and had a small plot of 
ground at the Swiss Gardens at Osborne allotted to each of the royal children, when quite 
young, for the cultivation of flowers, etc.: and the teaching of botany now forms a part 
of the programme of our less scholastic establishments in this country. 
As a rule, I believe that natural history is more generally cultivated among the middle 
classes on the Continent than in this country, and, as regards Sweden, I believe this is 
particularly the case,—no doubt incited by the example and talents exhibited by one of 
her sons, the immortal Linnaeus. Sir J. E. Smith, when recommending the study of 
natural science to the rising generation, says that in Sweden natural history is the study 
of the schools by which men rise to preferment; and Dr. Clarke, in his travels in that 
country, has borne testimony to the zeal with which he found the science of botany pur¬ 
sued, and relates an interesting anecdote illustrative of that statement:—“ On his arrival 
at Tornea, at the northern extremity of the Gulf of Bothnia, Dr. Clarke sent to the 
apothecary of the place for a few jars of the conserved dwarf Arctic Raspberry (.Rubus 
arcticus ). He had observed this rare plant in the woods near the shore where he landed, 
and found it bearing the first ripe fruit he had seen upon it. The flavour of its berries 
he thought finer even than that of the Hautboy Strawberry, and equal in size to those 
of our common Raspberry, but the plant so diminutive in size that an entire tree, with 
all its branches, leaves, and fruit, was placed in a phial holding about six ounces of alco¬ 
hol. The fruit is annually collected and preserved; and wishing to send some to his 
friends in England, Dr. Clarke purchased a few jars for that purpose. They were brought 
by a boy without shoes or stockings, who, having executed his errand, was observed to 
cast a longing eye towards some books of specimens of plants which lay on the table 
ready for arrangement. To the surprise of the traveller, he named every one of them as 
fast as they were shown to him, giving to each its appropriate Linnasan appellation. 
They found on inquiry that this extraordinary youth was the son of a poor widow, who 
had placed him an apprentice under this apothecary. His master himself had a turn for 
natural history, nevertheless he did not choose that his young pupil should leave the 
pestle and mortar to run after botanical specimens; it interfered, he said (which was pro¬ 
bably the truth), with the business of the shop. The consequence was that the lad had 
secretly carried on his studies, snatching every hour ho could spare to ramble barefooted 
