Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-06-05
Mr.. e. G. PRlNGLE
The Disting uished Vermont Botanist to
Be Connected with the University.
and His Great Herbarium to Come
"a Ruriin 1ton

the acknowledged prince of botanical coli |
lectors, is hereafter to be officially con-
nected with the University of Vermont, |
and that his wonderful botanical col
lection. known to botanists all over the
world, and in some respects without peer
in any country, Is to be deposited In the
Science Hall of the University, where II
will be OF service to students and con-
sulting botanists. and will add large dis
tinction to the scientific side of our State
university.
MIR. Prtngle, as many of our readers
know, is native OF Charlotte. in this
county. His love Of plants was Unborn in
him and interest in botany marked his
boyhood. In his manhood he became a
horticultural, taking especial interest In
the originating and development OF new
varieties of grains and other plants by
hybridization, in which branch Of his pro-
fession he was pioneer In America. He
developed new varieties of oats and wheat,
which became and remain standard varieties
In the grain growing regions Of our coun-
try. and have added untold wealth to the
great West. He became, among other
things, a popular grower of seeds and
bulbs for the wholesale trade. and when
he disposed of his business in that line,
some twenty years or more ago, he had the
greatest variety of lily bulbs, not in AM
erica alone, but in the world. Before re-
firing from his seed and bulb business he
had begun the search for and collecting Of
rare ferns and other little known plants on
the slopes and in the rarely visited notches
and ravines OF the Green Mountain range
His success in such researches brought
him into relations with DR.. Asa Gray of
Harvard College. known through the
scientific world as one of the ablest and
most phlosophic of botanists, and author
of number OF the most valuable works
in botany. Dr. Gray induced him to make
extended collections of Vermont plants tor
Harvard and other scientific institutions
In this country and Europe. Unknown TO
the great majority even Of intelligent
Ncrmonters he was for years discovering
hitherto unknown plants. and forwarding
specimens of these and of the Vermont flora
generally, selected and preserved with rare
skill, to the botanic laboratories OF Eng
land Germany. France and other Euro
pean countries. as we'll as to those of our
own land. till Vermont as a botanic region
of rare interest and productiveness became
perhaps better known to scientific botanists
everywhere than any other region of like
extent in America. In time he pushed his
searches into the st. Lawrence valley and
the Maine woods, adding all the while to
his successes and distinction as a collector.
In 1880 he was engaged by the United
States forestry department to explore the
forests of various distant States, in which
work he was associated with DIR. Sargent
OF the famous Arnold Arboretum of Har-
ward University. A little later he was made
the official botanical collector OF that uni
versity. In this work he has explored the
Rocky mountains and Pacific Coast ranges,
and for some eighteen years past has made
annual exploring tours in Mexico-the hith-
erto richest UNEMPLOYED field in America.
For this service he qualified himself by ac-
quiring the Spanish language. He secured
the protection and patronage Of the Mexi-
can government, by becoming the official
botanic
which protection he could never have pros
ecuted his rearches in the wild and unex-
plored regions of that country. From these
visits he has brought back each year many
thousands of specimens of plants repre-
senting hundreds of different kinds, a large
proportion of which have been wholly new
to botansts everywhere.
| While he has been continually forward
| ing his specimens to the leading scientific
institutions of Europe ad America and has
thus become recognized by botanists every
where as the ablest living field botanist, he
has reserved the choicest specimens OF each
plant and flower for his own herbarium
This now comprises fifty thousand mount
ed specimens, some sixteen thousand
OF Which-or ten times as many
kinds of the higher plants as ex-
list in Vermont-were collected by
him in Mexico. Many thousand of
other most interesting and valuable speci-
!
dreds of newly discovered plants have been
named after Mr.. Pringle in recognition of
his unique service. His collection is valua-
BILE not only on account of It's extent and
character but by reason of the peculiar
skill exercised by Mr.. Pringle in selecting
and preserving the specimens. In such skill.
1t Is not too much to say, he has no peer In
this country or in Europe.
| Mr. Prinsle's herharium has hitherto
been housed In his farm house in Char
lotte. where. of course, 1t has been in a
measure out OF reach and exposed to the
risk of destruction by fire. He has re-
ceved valuable offers to transfer II to
other States. accompanied by fattering APP
pointments for himself But with laudable
loyalty to his native State he has been
unwilling to have il leave Vermont. and
recognizing the fact that the University
OF Vermont is aquiring high standing as
n scientific center. and that 1t possesses In
the Williams Science Hall one of the best
and most thoroughly fire proof buildings in
the country. he has accepted offers from
the University which will in the course OF
Few weeks bring his herharium to the
u University, where suite of rooms Is In
process OF equipment in the Science build
ing for the proper preservation and devel
opment of the collection. Mr.. Pringle has
also accepted an appointment as the Of
, cial keeper Of the herharium. He will con
tinue his explorations and the collection
will increase from year to year In interest
and value. Taking into account the espe
cial care used in the selection and mount
ing of the specimens. the collection IL
, pronounced by competent judges the bes
large collection of Its kind In existence
: The University possesses one of the bes
3 botanists of the United States In the per
son OF Prof. l.. r. Jones. The noted Eros
collection Of cryptogamous plants hat
been recently added to its botanica
' treasures and the Pringle herbarium viii
!, give it fresh and high distinction.
, The science of botany grows in impor
tnnce throughout the civilized world, no
only because of the absorbing interest /
: arouscs in its votaries but because OF tn
. high practical value Of the discoveries Il
the laws Of plant life as related to horticul
lure and agriculture which they are givin
to tho world. Our State Is to be congratu
: lated on keeping this collection within 1t
: borders. And our State University Is t
he congratulated on the very importan
addition to its facilities which we nov
J. chronicle. as we'll as on the accession to II
s scientific stan of a gentleman, who Will
he II one of the most modest and una ssun
ing of men, has been rightly called 18th
q Prince Of Collecting Botanists."
l. |
= POINTED PARAGRAPHS.
l. Idle talk Is the work of a busy tongu,
! AS rule people who lack polish cas-
the most reflections.