[119] In a letter addressed to Mr. Frazer, an extract from which was published in the tenth volume of the London Journal of Literature and the Arts, Dr. Baldwin mentions having discovered near Monte Video, in South America, the _Solanum Tuberosum_ in its native locality. Mr. Lambert, however, considered this plant as the _Solanum Commersoni_ of Dunal; and though it produces tuberous roots, and in other respects makes a near approach to S. tuberosum, he was not satisfied of their identity, and remarks that it is yet to be proved, that this is the stock from which the common potatoe has been derived. It appears, however, that the original locality of the solanum tuberosum has been ascertained by Ruiz and Pavon, after having escaped the observation of Humboldt and Bonpland.--JAMES. [120] Frederick Pursh was born in Siberia, in 1774. Coming to the United States at the age of twenty-five, he spent twelve years in botanical studies, the results of which were published in England under the title _Flora Americae Septentrionalis, or a Systematic Arrangement and Description of the Plants of North America_ (London, 2 vols., 1814). Pursh died at Montreal in 1820, while preparing a flora of Canada. For sketch of Muhlenberg, see F. A. Michaux's _Travels_, in our volume iii, note 9. Aimé Bonpland (1773-1858) was a French scientist and traveller. It has been said that the expedition of Humboldt and Bonpland in tropical America (1799-1804) "laid the foundation of the sciences of physical geography and meteorology in their larger bearings." The fruit of their joint labors appeared at Paris in 1807, under the title _Voyage aux régions équinoxiales du nouveau continent_.--ED. [121] Above Cote Sans Dessein, we saw frequently the Juglans nigra, and J. pubescens, called white hickory; also a species of Cratægus, which, though sometimes seen in Pennsylvania, appears to be hitherto undescribed. Its fruit is large, yellow when ripe, and of an agreeable flavour. On the evening of the 11th we anchored opposite a steep bank, which I was assisted to climb; but night came on, and put an end to our herbarizations before I had the opportunity to collect any thing interesting. The soil here is a dark vegetable mould, at least five feet in depth, and little intermixed with sand. I ascended the same bank on the following morning, but found nothing except a species of Carex that I do not recollect to have seen before. After getting under weigh, we passed high calcareous bluffs on the left side of the river, covered with timber, and reminding us of the deep umbrageous forests within the tropics. Franklin, July 15th. Portulacca sativa, Solanum nigrum, Urticapumila, Datura strammonium, and Phytolacca decandra, occur by the road side. Blackberries were now ripe, but not well-flavoured. Campanula Americana, the large Vernonia mentioned at Cote Sans Dessein, now flowering.