author
Mary Treat
b. 1835
A sharp-eyed 19th-century naturalist, she turned close observation of plants and insects into lively, readable science. Her work on carnivorous plants and other small wonders also led to a notable correspondence with Charles Darwin.
1 Audiobook
Through a Microscope Something of the Science, Together with many Curious Observations Indoor and Out and Directions for a Home-made Microscope.
by Samuel Wells, Frederick Leroy Sargent, Mary Treat
About the author
Mary Treat was an American naturalist and science writer, born on September 7, 1830 and died on April 11, 1923. Since you noted "b. 1835," it’s worth clarifying that the sources I found consistently give 1830 as her birth year. She wrote extensively about botany, insects, and other parts of the natural world, building a reputation as a careful observer at a time when women were often excluded from formal scientific careers.
Treat is especially remembered for her studies of carnivorous plants and for the many articles and books she wrote for general readers. She lived for many years in Vineland, New Jersey, where she carried out much of her fieldwork, and she exchanged letters with Charles Darwin, who took her observations seriously.
What makes her especially appealing today is the way she combined patience, curiosity, and plainspoken writing. She helped bring science to a wider audience while also contributing original research of her own.