PDF Austrian Seven Years War Infantry and Engineers: Uniforms; Organisation and Equipment by Stephen Summerfield in History

Description

The flower hunters were intrepid explorers - remarkable; eccentric men and women who scoured the world in search of extraordinary plants from the middle of the seventeenth to the end of the nineteenth century; and helped establish the new science of botany. For these adventurers; the search for new; undiscovered plant specimens was something worth risking - and often losing - their lives for. From the Douglas-fir and the monkey puzzle tree; to exotic orchids and azaleas; many of the plants that are now so familiar to us were found in distant regions of the globe; often in wild and unexplored country; in impenetrable jungle; and in the face of hunger; disease; and hostile locals. It was specimens like these; smuggled home by the flower hunters; that helped build the great botanical collections; and lay the foundations for the revolution in our understanding of the natural world that was to follow. Here; the adventures of eleven such explorers are brought to life; describing not only their extraordinary daring and dedication; but also the lasting impact of their discoveries both on science; and on the landscapes and gardens that we see today.