Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-10-14

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Oct. 14.-The recent har-
vest home excursion gathering at the
Iowa State College took to Ames sew
eral thousand of the people of Iowa, a
larger number than on any recent SIM
I! liar occasion, and as the day was per-
feet and the college is in the very best
condition, with every department run
ming in the smoothest way and doing
satisfactory work, the occasion was one
long to be remembered by the visitors.
Not least among the attractions which
were new to the visitors was a unique
collection OF plants which had been do
the department of botany, which Is SO
ably presided over by Prof. Pammel.
This collection naturally drew around
I it many who are interested in the sci-
entific studies, and many questions
were asked. The collection was re-
ceived recently from DR.. +. L. Andrews,
of Mt. Pleasant, and consists of sew
eral thousand specimens of plants, the
following localities being represented.
namely: Monterey, Cal; Rio de ia
Metro. Brazil; Valparaiso, Chilli: Africa.
the Samoan Islands; Clarksville. Tenn;
Iberville Parish. La: Creston. Iowa,
and Wichita, kas. AS the specimens
are from SO many widely separated To-
calities, nearly all collected personally
by DR.. Andrews. something OF the life
and work of this interesting man of
science, too little known in Iowa, is es-
sential to a proper appreciation Of the
monument of his industry thus placed
where it will be preserved and be OF
great value.
DR. Andrews graduated from the
medical college at Castleton, VT, and
like many other medical practitioners
of the olden times, gave great deal
of attention to the study of natural his
tory. In those days the medical prac-
titioners were the men Of science. This
was notably true in botany and zoolo-
yg. OF the medical men who became
celebrated in botany 1t Is only neces-
sary to recall Asa Gray. the greatest
American systematic botanist and one
OF the leaders In this study IN his time.
To DR.. Gray more than any one else
America Is indebted for systematic
study of North American plants. He
had broad and comprehensive know
ledge Of the science Of botany in gem
eral, and thru him more than any other
the Darwinian theories were firmly es-
tablished In American soil. DR.. George
Engleman, a practitioner In st. Louis.
made himself famous by his work IN
cacti. DR.. John Torrey, Of New York,
joint author with DR.. Gray on the flora
of North America. is concentrated IN
American botany by undue genus OF
sconfers, the Torreya. DR.. Serene wat
son, once professor In the Iowa STATE
University. and later curator OF the
Gray herbarium in Harvard UNIVERSE
ty: Dr. Eaton, of Yale. In his tune a
we'll known authority on ferns. ana Dr.
&c. C. Parry, the we'll known collector Q!
plants, who resided In Davenport, ana
many other American physicians nave
been botanists Of note. DR.. y. y. An
drews therefore followed the 1ootsteps
of the men OF his time In turning MS
attention to the study of plants.
The work Of collecting plants ana
study OF plant life was commenced ps
DR.. Andrews about the year 1916 Wnen
he settled in Clarksville, Tenn, ana
spent the year teaching and collecting
botanical specimens along the Cumber-
land river. He then went to New
orleans and because of the prevalence
of yellow fever went to 1berville par
ish. 80 miles northwest of New Orleans,
where he taught in small boarding
school, also adding to his herbarium.
In the fall of 1857 he opened an office
for the practice Of medicine in New
orleans. In 1S4S he accepted the posi-
ton of physician and surgeon on
vessel taking liberated slaves to LII
IBERIA under the auspices of the colo
nization society Of which Henry Clay
was then the president. Freedmen to
the number Of $50 were brought to the
city, and after delay caused by cholera
the ship left for Africa, landing at the
mouth of Limon river $50 miles south
of Monrovia The ship with cargo
crossed to South America, landing in
Rio. Here DR.. Andrews expected to
return to New Orleans, but he failed to
get a ship. In his leisure time many
plants were gathered in the suburbs
of Rio. A week was spent at the botan-
ical garden some IL miles distant, a
garden famous then as ever since. Fail
the doctor decided to go to California
in the spring of 1S49 on German yes
sci. Cape Horn was passed safely and
the port of Valparaiso was touched.
Some plants were added to the collec-
ton at this point. The German vessel
reached the Golden Gate Nov is, 1S49
After a months sojourn here DR.. An
drews went to Monterey where he
opened small school. Here he made
q large collection of California plants.
or this period Of his remarkable career
he wrote:
Il spent every leisure hour gather
ing the new and beautiful flora of thi:
newly acquired territory. The whole
surface OF the country seemed carpeted
with flowers. Never had conceived
such beauty. 1t was perfectly en-
This region has become classical IN
botany. Parry, Lobb and others added
many species Of plants unknown to
science before. In company with Pro-