FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR. 13 



by frost, while those used in the ilower-pots are fastened . 

 by Megill clasps to flat strips of galvanized iron, which do 

 not turn so easily as the round rods. 



About 65 specimen plants, which could be spared from 

 the oreenhouses, were loaned in the fall to the Missouri 

 commissioners for exhibition at the Columbian Exposition. 

 The surplus bedding plants when the borders were cleared 

 in autumn, were in part distributed among the hospitals 

 and poorer homes of the city, and I wish to express my 

 especial gratitude to the Ladies' Flower Mission and the 

 management of the Bethel for their kind co-operation in the 

 distribution of about 1,000 such plants. 



The additions to the herbarium have consisted in the cur- 

 rent American collections, about 3,000 duplicates from the 

 herbarium of the late John Ball, and a set of some 1,200 

 New Zealand plants, purchased; and a set of the valuable 

 Exsiccatse of the Austrian Flora, donated by the Vienna 

 Museum, besides many smaller collections and single speci- 

 mens presented by correspondents, to whom the thanks of 

 the Garden are extended. The herbarium, as now arranged, 

 is composed as follows : — 



The George Engelmaim herbarium about 98,000 specimens. 



The general herbarium of higher plants 



The Bernhardi herbarium about 57,500 



Other specimens " 31,500 



89,000 " 



The collection of Thallophytes about 16,000 



Making a total of about 203,000 specimens. 



It has not been found practicable to add to the library 

 as freely as I could have wished, but during the year about 

 $1,427.00 has been spent for purchases and binding. A 

 much needed card index to the species of plants described 

 and figured in works at the Garden has been begun, and i 

 one assistant, Mr. J. C. Bay, is employed for this work. 

 The large collection of pamphlets has been protected from 

 injury and rendered readily accessible by inclosing each in 

 a neat pasteboard cover with cloth back, resembling a thin 



