60 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 



It is nearly two years ago that the suggestion was first 

 made to mc by our fellow-citizen Mr. Henry Shaw, and it 

 seemed to me almost too good to be true. But after 

 several consultations with Dr. Asa Gray, the distinguished 

 botanist of Harvard University, Mr. Shaw authorized me 

 to place before the Board of Directors a definite plan of 

 action, as follows ; — 



That he proposed with concurrence of the Directors, to 

 endow a School of Botany as a Department of Washing- 

 ton University, by donation of improved real estate, yield- 

 ing over $5,000 revenue, and to place it in such relation 

 with the largely endowed " Missouri Botanical Garden and 

 Arboretum," as would practically secure their best uses, 

 for scientific study and investigation, to the professor and 

 students of the said School of Botany, in all time to come. 

 Dr. Gray had taken a most kindly interest in this move- 

 ment, and had twice visited St. Louis on Mr. Shaw's invi- 

 tation, for the special purpose of consulting with him and 

 others, as to the best methods of action in organization of 

 the school. By his recommendation, correspondence was 

 opened with Mr. Wm. Trelease, Professor of Botany in 

 Wisconsin University, at Madison, a graduate of Cornell 

 University, who had already attained to a high rank in this 

 department of science, and who visited Mr. Shaw to inform 

 himself of the leading features of the proposed situation. 

 At a meeting of the Board of Directors, held June 8, 

 1885, the following resolutions were, therefore, offered, in 

 grateful acceptance of Mr. Shaw's proposal : — 



1. That a School of Botany be established as a special department of 

 Washington University, to be known as the 



' HENRY SHAW SCHOOL OF BOTANY. 



2. That a Professorship of Botany be therein established, to be known 

 as the Engelmaun Professorship. 



3. That Professor Wm. Trelease, of Wisconsin University, be invited 

 to fill the same ; his duties to begin at the commencement of the next 

 academic year, September 17th. 



4. That said School of Botany be placed under the special care and 

 direction of an Advisory Committee, to consist of five members, of 



