New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-03
DIR. CHARLES C. PARRY, THE BOTANIST
HIS CAREER AS A BOTANICAL EXPLoRER-TIiE
DIsCovERER OF HUNDREDS OF NEW
PLANTS IN THE WEST.

PLAINS IN InE NiDi.
Dr. Charles c. Parry whose death has been an
nounced in The Tribune. paid a long visit TO his
botanical friends in the autumn and carly winter,
and while here he was busy investigating various
matters connected with the California fora. lie was
then in perfect health apparently active and alert III
mind and body and full Of plans for new work IN
California. Toward the end Of his visit, however,
he was attacked by the influenza, and on his return
to his home Davenport, Iowa. pneumonia followed
and be died on February 90. DR.. Parry was horn III
Arlington. England, on August IS. 1893. HIS fam
lily emigratcd 10 America nne years later ana sclcu
on i farm in Washington County, y. Y. DR.. Parry
educated at Union College. schenectady, and then
studied MEDICINE lie interested, however, IN
botany even 1T this early period 4 his lfc and although
he py,ctiscd his profession for short time IN Divch
port where his family removed I'm 1si5, lie soon aban
doncd IL for the cOnGcnal pursuit IT natural ms
tory. lie had devoted a good deal Of attention to
collecting the plants Of New York before he moved
to Iowa. and these studies secured for him the ac-
quaintance of Dr. John Torrey and his associate, Dr.
Asa Gray. Their Acquaintance confirmed his taste
for botanical exploration and cxcrtcd powerful ilu
cDce upon the remainder Of his life.
DR.. Parry's real work explorer began ID
1si9 when he was attached 70 David Dale ovens
survey of Wisconsin and made a collection Of plant
in the valleys Of The ST. Croix and st. Peter rivers
The next year he Joined the botanical staff Of TIE
Mexican Boundary Survey. and crossed the California
desert from san Diego 10 the mouth Of the CHA River
This Journey and the subsequent ones which he macc
as member Of the survey. and which EXTENDED
through two or three years and carried him overland
from the Pacific Ocean 10 the Gulf OF Mexico, were
rich I'm botanical discoveries of the most mtcresn,
character. These are found recorded in the Report
the Mexican Boundary survey published In l-'-.
Persons who cross the desert in Pullman palace
cars can form very slight idea Of The snirrinr> ana
haid-hips Of tho carly explorers who passed months
I'm travelling distances covered I'm many diN So
Dr. Parry's next conspicuous service 90 American
botany was performed in 1851. when j" began h,
examination Of the fora Of the central Rocky Mum
tains ms work, undertaken mainly al his own
expense. occupied him several years and WAS rich I'D
results The Colorado Mountains were at that time
fresh field. practically their fora being known ONLY
by the scant material brought back many years be-
fore by the naturalsis Of Major Long. expedition.
and DR.. Parry was allie 70 reap rich harvest from
the summit, Of the Alpine peaks which De- wa, 'he
nr-t hnani-t 10 reach. lie made. too az TN, time.
valuable meteorological and typographical obscfsa.
tion~ ,ftcr,arl elaborated by Ijr Encclmauu. lr.
Parry was appointed in l-6' - botanirt "i the A-l
cultural Drntrtmcut n Washington aud occupied
plorcr hy temperament and habit. and BE had lt'l'
liking for the restraints ~ Al oihce position. i",
taste for travel he able T. crafty for the List
twenty year. during which he Vas more or less c'nin
uou-ly in the Held. either in Nevada and ltl NN'Tr
folua where much If the last part Of Dol, htc WIS
passed lie always kept DIS home. however 80 paF'h
den,,lv Interested rms ho made several wears ago
the depository OF hs herhailum which Wa. 4 cDur'"
~ ccodlnry rich n Western plants ard which. h'
sides DBL, own collectors, contained ii'-c oil many
Dr. Parr7 discovered hundreds Of plants. after
ward described by DR. Gray and hy Dr. fneelmann and
l, name Is no firmly fixed in this way on ihr history
,,e ril ic rancmicrcd a.. long "a. he plant. Of
Western America continue % interest inc -'nu'Ni' '
P..9, who discovered pfccl dungeons fh" hc.ufifll
blue spruce of our g1ri"ns F.'' h.s'l.,'''