m 
HISTORY OF BOTANY. 
labours of others of more general utility, but adding to the common 
gtock the result of years of inquiry and observation. 
To go back to the infancy of Botany in the United States, we find 
the name of Bartram stands recorded in history, as that of the first 
native of our country who was conspicuous for botanical researches. 
Houston investigated the region of Canada, and described many of 
its plants; in honour of him is named the little flower Houstonia 
ccerulea , which is abundant in New England. Clayton'made a list 
of Virginian plants, and is commemorated in the beautiful Claytonia 
mrginica. Kalm, a pupil of Linnaeus, whose name is given to the 
Kalmia, (American laurel,) spent three years in America, and re¬ 
turned to Europe laden with botanical treasures; the sight of the 
American plants brought by his pupil, many of which were entirely 
new to him, is said to have produced such an effect upon Linnaeus, 
that although lying ill of the gout, and unable to move, his spirits 
were rekindled, and in the delight of his mind he forgot his bodily 
anguish, and recovered from his disease.* 
Although American works on Botany are not wanting, the author of 
these Lectures found no one book, either foreign or American, which 
seemed designed to conduct the pupil through a full and connected 
course of study. To bring together in one volume the Elements of 
Vegetable Anatomy and Physiology, the principles on which the 
Natural and Artificial Classification depend, and to teach these sys¬ 
tems by a full exposition of them, and by a Flora of Plants, for prac¬ 
tice in analytical Botany—these have been the objects in view in the 
preparation of this work. Its publication, we hope, has removed the 
obstacles which formerly impeded the progress of botanical infor¬ 
mation, in schools, and among our own sex. We have seen that 
even children may become botanists, and lay aside their toys to di¬ 
vert themselves by distinguishing the organs of plants and tracing out 
their classification. 
Of all sciences, perhaps no one is settled on a firmer foundation 
* Among the earliest botanists of North America, were Golden, Miehaux, and Muhh 
enberg; Pursh was the first who finished a system of North American plants, so ar¬ 
ranged as to be useful to the student. Some of the first teachers of the science were 
Barton, Hosack, and Mitchill. The first public lecturer on Botany, was Professor 
Amos Eaton. Dr. Bigelow gave a course of lectures in Boston, in the year 1813, and 
soon after published his. Boston Flora. Professor Ives and Dr. Tully did much in 
New England towards awakening a zeal for the science, in the years 1815 and 1816 y 
and at a later period, Dr. Sumner has pursued and illustrated the study with much 
ardour and success. 
Want of books was a great impediment to the progress of the science when Eaton 
published his Manual of Botany; this book gave a new impulse to the progress of the 
Science ; its familiar method and simple style induced many to commence the study. 
This was followed by many other works describing plants, and several elementary 
works; of the former class were Nuttall’s Genera, Elliott’s Southern Plants,. Barton’s 
Flora of Philadelphia, Darlington’s, Torrey’s, and Bigelow’s Floras; these furnished 
descriptions of most American plants, not included in the works of Pursh. Among 
Elementary books are “Barton’s Elements,” a large work containing much that is 
interesting in the physiology of Plants^ “Lock’s Botany,” a small book, but ex¬ 
hibiting a plan of arrangement simple and methodical; “ Sumner’s Compendium of 
Botany,” writtenin a beautiful and pure style; and more recently, “ Nuttall’s Elemen¬ 
tary Work,” which gives in popular language more facts with regard to plants, than 
almost any other work of the kind; a small work entitled “Catechism of Botany,”' 
by Miss Jane Welsh, was the first attempt by an American lady to illustrate the 
science. Professor Lindley’s late work, entitled “Introduction to the Natural Sys¬ 
tem of Botany.” though it may be highly useful to the advanced student, cannot b© 
Studied with advantage except by the practical botanist. Beck’s Botany is a neat and 
beautiful introduction to the natural system, and his descriptions of Genera and Spe^ 
©ies are valuable. 
Bartram, and some others—Houston—Clayton—Kalm—Objects of this work 
