Few know his name; and yet this same John Bartram, a farmer of Pennsylvania, who lived an hundred years ago, did more to spread, not only a knowledge of American plants, but the plants themselves, than any one who has lived since.

Most of the great gardens of England--Kew among the rest--are indebted to this indefatigable botanist for their American flora; and there were few of the naturalists of that time--Linneus not excepted--that were not largely indebted to him for their facts and their fame.

They took his plants and specimens--collected by arduous, toilsome, and perilous journeyings-- they put names to them--noble and kingly names--for king-sycophants most of them were, these same naturalists--they _described_ them as _they_ call it--such descriptions, indeed! and then adopted them as their own discoveries.

And what did they give John Bartram in return for all his trouble?
Why, the English king gave him 50 pounds to enable him to travel over thousands of miles of wilderness in search of rare plants, many of which on reaching England were worth hundreds of pounds each! This was all the poor botanist had for enriching the gardens of Kew, and sending over the first magnolias and tulip-trees that ever blossomed in England! What did the scientific naturalists do for him?
They stole his histories and descriptions, and published them under their own names.

Now, brothers, what think you of it?
Is it not enough to spoil one's temper when one reflects upon such injustice ?" Both Basil and Francois signified their assent.
"It is to such men as Hearne, and Bartram, and Wilson, that we are indebted for all we know of natural history--at least, all that is worth knowing.