24 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN. 
done, thorough drainage and other preparation of the soil is 
necessary. Such work, however, is being done gradually, 
and plans are now under consideration as a result of which 
some progress in this direction may be hoped for within a 
short time; meantime, the variety of plants cultivated 
in the open air is being somewhat increased. Various 
additions have been made to the greenhouse collec- 
tions, — among other things a considerable number of 
Cacti having been added to the already fair number in 
cultivation. 
Some difficulty has been encountered in procuring suita- 
ble labels for the trees and other plants, but names have 
been temporarily affixed to many which were before with- 
out names, and experiments are being made, as a result of 
which it is hoped that within a comparatively short time no 
plant on the grounds will be without a legible and durable 
label indicating its name and habitat. 
Work on the Engelmann herbarium has progressed so 
far that this collection is now essentially mounted in the 
usual manner, and it is probable that by early summer the 
work will have been completed and all of the specimens 
properly arranged in suitable hard wood cases that have 
been placed in the museum, awaiting the provision of a 
separate fire-proof building for the herbarium and library. 
Except for the cases and other furniture which it contains, 
the building in which the specimens are thus temporarily 
placed is a fire-proof structure. As has been indicated in 
the Garden volume for 1890 (pp. 87-90), a very consider- 
able addition has been made to the general herbarium by 
donations from the School of Botany; and numerous 
specimens have been received from the Secretary of Agri- 
culture, Mrs. Katherine Brandegee, Dr. D. V. Deane, 
Professor John Macoun, Mr. T. V. Munson, and other 
correspondents, to whom the thanks of the institution are 
cordially tendered. Between 2,000 and 3,000 additional 
specimens have been acquired by purchase, and for the 
most part have been mounted as received. Work has also 
