The plant hunters

the long version

From Queen Hatshepsut's journey to the land of Punt in 1482 B.C. to modern botanical expeditions, here is a vivid account of botanists, their travels, and the interesting, valuable specimens they brought back to their gardens and laboratories. Mr. Whittle first surveys the history of collecting prior to the time of Nathaniel Ward, the inventor of the portable greenhouse, then explains the scientific techniques of plant hunting developed by Ward. And, finally, he tells of the "Scramble for Green Treasure" to the far corners of the earth that followed in Ward's wake and he explores the gradual development of the methods botanists are using now.