A statement of facts relative to the establishment and progress of the Elgin Botanic Garden, and the subsequent disposal of the same to the State of New-York / [David Hosack].

  • Hosack, David, 1769-1835.
Date:
1811
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A statement of facts relative to the establishment and progress of the Elgin Botanic Garden, and the subsequent disposal of the same to the State of New-York / [David Hosack]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    connection of this science with the progress of agriculture, and its tendency, by exploring and multiplying the production of our soil, to increase the wealth of the community, and to extend the independence of the nation, are too important to be overlooked by a wise government. Since the present obstruc¬ tions of commerce, many medicinal articles, belonging to the vegetable class, which are of indispensable use in diseases, and which might be readily pro¬ duced in this country, have become so scarce, and so exceedingly enhanced in price, as to create apprehensions with respect to the sufficiency of future supplies. Another inducement to patronise botany in this state, might pro¬ perly be drawn from the liberal encouragement offered to the cultivation of that science in several of our sister states, and from the absolute necessity of such encouragement to the support of an establishment, which is always unavoidably expensive. An enterprising and public spirited botanist of this city, Dr. Hosack, has, at great expense, purchased and cultivated a piece of ground, for the purpose of a fcotanic garden ; which might easily be rendered subservient to the promotion of this important object.” The legislative proceedings upon this application for the pur¬ chase of the botanic garden, I copy from the printed Journal of the Assembly, to which branch of the legislature the consi¬ deration of the subject was, in that year, confined. In Assembly, March ls£, 1809. The memorial of David Hosack, of the city of New-York, praying the le¬ gislature to purchase his botanic garden, near the said city, on-the terms therein mentioned, was read, and together with the petition of the medical society of the city and county of New-York, referred to a select committee, consisting of Mr. Gerir A, Mr. Willoughby, Mr. J. Van Rensselaer, Mr. Da¬ vis, and Mr. Barnes.* March 2d, 1809. Mr. German, from the committee to whom was referred the memorial of David Hosack, of the city of New-York, physician, together with that of the medical society of the city and county of New-York, reported as follows, to wit: That the memorialist, about eight years ago, being professor of botany in Columbia College, purchased twenty acres of land, and established a botanical garden in the vicinity of New-York, at his own expense; and with the lauda¬ ble view of affording to the students under his charge an ample opportunity of improvement by the inspection of various medicinal and other plants, a knowledge of which is intimately connected with the science of medicine ; he has, at great expense, imported from different parts of the world, a great va¬ riety of plants ; for the preservation of those coming irom a milder climate, he has been under the necessity of erecting, on a large and extensive scale, both green and hot-houses, and to employ several persons of skill m attending to their cultivation ; he has likewise collected a variety of plants from differ¬ ent parts of the United States, useful in agriculture, as well as medicine; so arranged as to afford an opportunity of making many useful experiments , the whole is in good order ; the ground well selected and valuable. The medical society of the city and county of New-York, the college of physicians and surgeons, the faculty of physic in Columbia College, and the governors of the New-York hospital, all approve of the establishment, express their opinion of its importance and public utility, and recommend its purchase by the