I should fail in my duty towards one who was the companion and helpmate of the two Michaux, if I omitted here to mention his name. This is the humble Paul Saulnier, the same journeyman gardener who, in 1785, had accompanied them to this country, and was intrusted with the care of the New Jersey nursery. Francois Michaux never spoke of him but with feelings of respect and affection.

"Originally of France," says Dr. Francis, in his eloquent discourse on the Natural Sciences, "his early life was absorbed in practical horticulture, as an experimenter in vegetable physiology, and as one of the subordinates of the Jardin des Plantes. Here he had instilled into him the principles of ordines naturales, by their author, de Jussieu. Shortly after he was selected for his botanical attainments to accompany the elder Michaux to this country. He proved service- • able as a collector. By royal means, Lonis XVI., by whose patronage Michaux was authorized to procure American productions, a plot of ground in New Jersey was appropriated as a suitable garden for rearing and preserving plants and trees, mainly designed for the institutions of France.

"In this sequestered place, Paul, with the exception of occasional excursions to New York and to parts adjacent, passed the remainder of his days. Here he was visited by the younger Michaux, Pursh, Douglas, Bradbury, and other foreign naturalists. Poor Wilson, the Ornithologist, often found shelter within his humble dwelling from the lowering sky and tempestuous storms; and often I have heard Michaux enlarge on the refreshing enjoyment of Paul's hospitality. Paul was a sort of Sir Oracle with them; and his responses were heeded by all who sought practical knowledge in natural history. Paul, I believe, may be estimated the first, as to time, who, without much pretension, inculcated among us the classification of Jussieu, and the arboriculturist may perhaps be now, for the first time, informed that to him are we to assign the introduction into this country of the Lombardy Poplar. Paul holds a place in the progess of botanical pursuits not unlike that enjoyed so long by the venerable Wm. Bartram, though I should be reluctant to assign to him a place as conspicuous as that of our philosophical traveller.

" Let Michaux speak of the goodness of his heart and of his disinterested philanthropy: 'Paul was so exclusive in his attentions to his avocations, that hardly any other subject than trees and plants ever found entrance into his mind. To the day of his death, he considered his little circumscribed residence as still the property of his royal master; and, ignorant of the vicissitudes of political revolution, reluctantly gave credence to the fact of the decapitation of his bountiful but unfortunate King. Paul now lies in the Hackensack churchyard; his tombstone records not half his excellence.'"

On Michaux's return to Paris, he presented himself before the Central Society Of Agriculture, to which he was mainly indebted for his mission to the United States, and there gave an account of his voyage, of the various tasks he had performed, and of the flattering results which had been already obtained. From the seeds which he had forwarded during his absence, more than two hundred and fifty thousand young trees had already sprung up, which were fairly promising to accomplish, in succeeding times, the objects contemplated by him, and confidently expected by. bis fellow members of the Society Of Agriculture, who appointed a committee to report on the success of his voyage. Correa de Serra, chairman of that committee, in a most flattering report, highly complimented Michaux on the faithful execution of his trust, and for the importance of the services he had rendered to his country, he called forth a vote of thanks.

During the two years following his return, Michaux was actively employed in the publication of his great work, Histoire des Arbres Forestiers de p Amgrique du Nord, so anxiously expected by all who took an interest in the Flora of the United States, and in the observations of one so well versed in agricultural pursuits. The first volume appeared in 1810 5 the second in 1812; and the third in 1813.

This magnificent work, illustrated by 144 copper plates, designed by the two Redouts and by Bessa, and engraved by such eminent artists as Gabriel, Renard, Boquet, Bessin, and Dubreuil, was translated into English by Augustus L. Hill-house, and published in Paris in four volumes by Charles D'Hautel (1817-19), under the title of North American Sylva, with the addition of several plates and some new observations by the author. Mr. Wm. Maclure purchased the plates in Paris and brought them to this country. To this circumstance is owing the publication of two American editions, which are now followed by a third. The first was issued at New Harmony, Indiana, in 1842, and the second in this city in 1852, edited, with additions and notes, by J. Jay Smith, Esq. Mr. Nuttall, soon after, published, on Michaux's plan, an additional Sylva Americana, describing and illustrating as many as one hundred and twenty trees, mostly unknown to his predecessor, indigenous to the far west regions, Oregon and California included.

Of this splendid work of Michaux, the author of an article on the botany of the United States, published in the 13th vol. of the North American Review, remarks: "It is the plan of Michaux's history of our forest trees to unite the advantages of a work strictly botanical and one relating to the useful arts; but, especially to collect all the scattered details which books or experience could furnish him, with respect to the application of various kinds of wood to the purposes of life. Botanical descriptions can easily be made or found; but, in order to ascertain their useful properties, it was necessary to consult artisans, in almost every branch of practical mechanics, to frequent dock-yards or workshops in which wood was employed, and, in short, to gather information from every attainable source. From these inquiries Michaux had obtained a most extensive collection of curious and important facts, which rather belonging to the application of botany than to botany itself, are nevertheless essential to the complete knowledge of the plants of the United States; for, besides the commercial and practical uses of our trees, we have a very perfect account of the inflorescence, fructification, growth -and botanical habit of them individually considered, as also many interesting facts with regard to them taken together as composing forests".