Benjamin Daydon Jackson

“ In the opinion of the highest living authority on Indian botany, Griffith was the acutest botanist who ever visitod India, but his unfortunate temper was the means of constantly involving him in quarrels with his brother officials.
His most important papers were published in the ‘Transactions of the Linnean Society,’ while shorter papers came out in the ‘Asiatic Researches,’ ‘Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal,’ ‘Medical and Physical Society of Calcutta,’ and the ‘Calcutta Journal of Natural History,’ which lapsed on his death. ”

“ When the collections made by La Billardière during D'Entrecasteaux's expedition fell by fortune of war into British hands and were brought to England, Banks hastened to send them back to France without having even glanced at them, writing to M. de Jussieu that he would not steal a single botanic idea from those who had gone in peril of their lives to get them. Ten times were parcels addressed to the royal garden in Paris, which had been captured by English cruisers. He constantly acted as scientific adviser to the king ”

“ Gerard was then well known as a skilled herbalist. He was superintendent of the gardens of Lord Burghley in the Strand, and at Theobalds in Hertfordshire. He was living in Holborn, where he had a garden, to which he devoted great attention, and published a list of the plants therein in 1596. The only copy of that edition (in duodecimo) known to exist is in the Sloane collection in the British Museum. It is of peculiar interest as being the first catalogue of any one garden, public or private. ”

“ Like his father, he practised medicine at Ipswich, and interested himself in botany. His name appears in the lists of the Linnean Society from 1794 to his death. His garden at Ipswich was carefully tended, and a catalogue of its contents was published by him as ‘Hortus Botanicus Gippovicensis, or a systematical enumeration of the Plants cultivated in Dr. Coyte's Botanic Garden at Ipswich,’ Ipswich, 1796, 4to, followed by an ‘Index Plantarum,’ 1807. ”

“ Australia was next visited, and a small kangaroo observed for the first time in Botany Bay, which was so named by the exploring party on account of the abundance of forms of plants unknown to Banks and Solander. The course of the voyage was northward, inside the great barrier reef on the north-east coast of Queensland, and all went well until the night of 10 June 1770, when the Endeavour stuck fast on a coral rock. ”

“ Jacob Bobart, botany professor of Oxford, did about forty years ago (in 1704) find a dead rat in the Physic Garden, which he made to resemble the common picture of dragons by altering its head and tail, and thrusting in taper sharp sticks, which distended the skin on each side till it mimicked wings. ”

“ In 1844 he lectured both at Forres and Elgin, and made a tour after plants in the Braemar and Clova districts, in the course of which he met Hewett Cottrell Watson, with whom he sheltered for a night in a shepherd's shieling. Watson endeavoured to procure for Edmondston the post of curator to the Botanical Society of London, but was unsuccessful. In the autumn he settled in Aberdeen to attend the lectures at the university, but was elected to the professorship of botany and natural history in Anderson's ‘University’ at Glasgow on 15 Jan. ”

“ From 1839 he lectured on botany for ten years in King's College, Aberdeen, and in that university for shorter periods on natural history and materia medica. In 1849 he was appointed professor of natural history in Belfast, where he taught botany, geology, physical geography, and zoology. From this he was transferred in 1860 to the chair of botany at Aberdeen, which he held until 1877, when failing health caused his retirement. ”

“ He began to lecture on botany in 1819, and thenceforward devoted himself entirely to that science. In 1830 he received the appointment of lecturer on botany in Guy's Hospital upon the founding of its medical school. Here he delivered forty-four courses of lectures, resigning his post in 1873. He was the first to introduce living specimens, which came mostly from his own garden, for demonstration. In 1832 he re-edited Sir James Smith's ‘English Botany.’ He also condensed the text and rearranged the contents of Sowerby's ‘English Botany,’ 2nd edit. ”

“ BLOXAM, ANDREW (1801–1878) , naturalist, was born at Rugby 22 Sept. 1801, and was fourth son of Rev. R. R. Bloxam, one of the masters of Rugby School, which school he entered in 1809, leaving it in 1820 for Worcester College, Oxford, of which he afterwards became a fellow. In the autumn of 1824 he accepted the situation of naturalist on board the Blonde frigate, Captain Lord Byron, his eldest brother being the chaplain. The vessel conveyed the bodies of the King and Queen of the Sandwich Islands, who had died in this country, to their native land, the voyage lasting eighteen months. ”

“ As regards botany, he seems to have been chiefly a patron rather than a worker; thus he appears as one of twelve English subscribers to Micheli's ‘Nova Genera,’ 1728. His name, however, occurs as having contributed observations to the third edition of Ray's ‘Synopsis,’ 1724. His dried plants occupy seventy-four folio volumes, the entire number of specimens being about thirteen thousand, and are in excellent preservation; they form part of the herbarium at the Oxford Botanic Garden. ”

“ BROWNE, WILLIAM (1628–1678) , botanist, was born at Oxford, and trained at that university, where he graduated B.A. on 2 Nov. 1647, being described as of Magdalen College. On 2 July 1652 he was one of the examiners of Anthony à Wood for B.A. Conjointly with Dr. P. Stephen, principal of Magdalen Hall, he edited a new edition of Hobart's 'Catalogue of the Oxford Garden.' This is notable as being the first botanical book issued in this country which cites the pages of quoted. ”

“ KURZ, SULPIZ (1833?–1878) , botanist, was a native of Munich, and a pupil of Martius the Brazilian traveller, and professor of botany. Having quarrelled with his family, he sailed to Java and entered the Dutch service, in which he stayed for several years. In 1864 he was induced by Dr. T. Anderson, who was visiting the Dutch possessions, to return with him to Calcutta as curator of the herbarium, which post he held till his death, to the great advantage of Indian botany. Kurz had an intimate acquaintance with Indian and Malayan plants, and was frequently despatched on botanical missions. ”

“ FALCONER, JOHN (fl. 1547) , merchant, appears to have been the first Englishman who possessed a series of dried plants, a method of study first practised by Luca Ghini of Bologna, who also was the earliest public teacher of botany in Europe, and the originator of botanical gardens. ”

“ Goodenough's reputation as a classical tutor ranked high. But his strongest bent was towards botany, and when the Linnean Society was established in 1787 he was one of the framers of its constitution and treasurer during its first year. ”

“ Among the Sherardian letters in the library of the Royal Society are fourteen from Bobart to the consul, and in the 'Sloane MS.,' No. 3343, in the British Museum, are many of Bobart's memoranda of considerable gardening interest. An interleaved copy of Bauhin's 'Pinax,' with copious annotations by Bobart, is in the botanical department of the Natural History Museum at Cromwell Road, and an interleaved copy of the 'Oxford Garden Catalogue,' in the possession of the writer, has a few additions in same handwriting. ”

“ His son was sent to India through the influence of Dr. James Sherard of Eltham, but the father quarrelled with the doctor in 1731 about some plants. His daughter also seems to have acted 'undutifully' towards him. He had a small house and garden at Bierley, and devoted himself to the culture of plants ; afterwards he became head-gardener to the Duke of Beaufort at Badminton, and died at Bierley, at Mr. John Pollard's house ; he was buried close to the east wall of Cleckheaton chapel. Although unfortunate in business, he was a good collector of plants, insects, and birds ”

“ In 1829 he emigrated to the then newly established colony of Swan River, Western Australia, and ten years later began to make up sets of the indigenous vegetation for sale, but previously several of his letters giving accounts of his widely extended journeys for plants had been published by Sir William Hooker in his various journals. Dr. Lindley's 'Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River,' 1839,, was drawn up from Drummond's early collections, the botany of that part of the Australian continent then being little known. He died in Western Australia 27 March 1863, aged 79. ”

“ William, fourth duke of Roxburgh, died in 1805 without direct heir. During his lifetime he sedulously endeavoured to divert the succession in favour of Ker, and entailed his estates upon him. But both the entail and Ker's claim to the title were, after much litigation, set aside by the House of Lords in favour of James Innes-Ker, fifth duke of Roxburgh [q. v.] on 11 May 1812 (cf. 2 Dow's Reports) . Ker was long known as a wit and man of fashion in London. ”

“ Hennedy ran away before his time was out, and somehow managed to get employment in a firm of calico-printers at Rutherglen, close to Glasgow, where he finished his time. In 1832 he was appointed to a post in the customs at Liverpool, but heartily disliking the new duties he quitted the place, and went back to his old employment at Glasgow. When the growing practice of lithography threatened to deprive him of his livelihood by substituting a new method of printing fabrics, he acquired the art of drawing on stone, and especially devoted himself to making designs for textiles. ”

“ The vacant situation was again offered to Allan, and he accepted it, quitting England never to return. He reached Sydney in October 1836, after an absence of six years from Australia. On entering upon his duties he found that he would have far less chance of collecting than before, as his post was considered to include landscape and market gardening for the colonists, and forty convicts were assigned to quarters in the botanic garden, as a novel feature in a scientific establishment. ”

“ His manuscript Flora of Hampshire was never published. His herbarium is now at Ryde in the Isle of Wight, but his manuscripts are in the library of the Royal Kew Gardens. He left behind him the memory of a most amiable man and zealous naturalist. ”

“ Here he began the study of oriental languages, and acquired his grounding in botany under Professor Robert Graham. After a distinguished career at Haileybury, he went to India in 1831 in the civil service. He was appointed to Ambala, and afterwards to Saharunpore, where his administration gained both the approbation of his superiors and the grateful appreciation of the natives. In 1842 he came home on leave, married Christina, daughter of Dr. Macpherson, King's College, Aberdeen, in 1846, and returned the same year to India. ”

“ By will he left 200l. per annum to his librarian at his death, Robert Brown, with the use of his herbarium and library during his life, the reversion being to the British Museum. Brown made over these collections to the nation within a short time after acquiring possession of them. Francis Bauer was also provided for during his life, to enable him to continue his exquisite drawings from new plants at Kew.
The character which Banks has left behind him is that of a munificent patron of science rather than an actual worker himself. His own writings are comparatively trifling. ”

“ Andrews, where he recommenced the practice of medicine, but afterwards removed to Edinburgh. A year or two after his settlement at the latter place he began his botanic garden; procuring seeds from Dr. Robert Morison of Blois, and afterwards of Oxford, and M. Merchant of Paris, and others, he soon had more than a thousand species in cultivation. He founded the public botanic gardens at Edinburgh about 1680 by the good offices of Lord Patrick Murray of Levistone, and he transferred thither his own plants to the care of Sutherland, the first curator, who published a catalogue in 1683. ”

“ She had kindred tastes to her brother, and although debarred from such adventurous voyages as he undertook, she amassed a considerable collection of objects of natural history, books, and coins. Sir Joseph Banks presented her coins and engravings to the British Museum. ”

“ From 1798 onwards Edwards made nearly the whole of the drawings for the 'Botanical Magazine,' and several for the 'Flora Londinensis.' He accompanied Curtis on various excursions, that the plants and animals they found might be drawn from life. His patron died in 1799, but Edwards continued to furnish the 'Botanical Magazine' with drawings, and he also issued six parts of 'Cynographia Britannica, consisting of Coloured Engravings of the various Breeds of Dogs in Great Britain,' &c., London, 1800-5, 4to. ”

“ AINSLIE, WHITELAW (fl. 1788–1835) , surgeon and writer on materia medica, was nominated assistant surgeon in the East India Company's service on 17 June 1788, and on his arrival in India was appointed garrison surgeon of Chingleput. On 17 Oct. 1794 he was promoted to the grade of surgeon, having been two years previously transferred to Ganjam. In 1810 he was appointed superintending surgeon, the court of directors having approved his motives in drawing up a scheme to improve the health of the troops in India, whilst rejecting the plan proposed. ”

“ HOPKIRK, THOMAS (1790?–1851?) , botanist, born at Dalbeath, near Glasgow, about 1790, was elected fellow of the Linnean Society in November 1812, and in the next year published ‘Flora Glottiana, being a Catalogue of the Indigenous Plants on the Banks of the Clyde,’ Glasgow, 8vo. Four years later, in 1817, he produced, also at Glasgow, his principal work, ‘Flora Anomoia; a General View of the Anomalies in the Vegetable Kingdom,’ with a frontispiece designed by himself. It is usually misquoted as ‘Flora Anomala.’ His name last appeared in the annual lists of the Linnean Society in 1851. ”