REPORT ON BRAZILIAN PLANTS. lll 
state and progress of the science, and capable of representing the 
aggregate materials for such a purpose. We will content ourselves 
with pointing out the numerous voyages undertaken during the last 
forty years, partly by private individuals, or by persons forming unions 
for supporting such expeditions, and partly at the publie expense, 
whereby the treasures of regions hitherto unknown in botanical respects, 
have aequired such an importance, that the herbariums imported from 
thence have become objects of commerce. Such a state of things could 
not otherwise than exercise a powerful influence on our means of 
becoming acquainted with the forms and geographical distribution of 
plants; and it has, as it were, compelled leading publie institutions, 
devoted to the extension and spread of botanical knowledge, not to 
limit their collections to a partial augmentation only, but to endeavour 
constantly to obtain additions from all zones and countries. 
But, independent of these considerations, the present state and 
extent of the collections comprised in the herbarium of Munich, render 
it quite impossible that the yearly sum of 300 florins should suffice for 
making the herbarium generally available for scientific purposes. We 
mention here, especially, the laborious and tedious work of attaching the 
specimens to paper; for which objects alone, as well as for other purely 
manual labours, a fit bookbinder, with two pupils from Mr. Meyer's 
celebrated establishment for crippled boys, are employed. 
It may reasonably be expected from the munificent head of an 
enlightened government, that a suitable increase of our means will be 
granted in time, to advance the grand work to such a state, that the 
herbarium when ready for being placed in the contemplated building 
at the Royal Garden, may be of general use tothe public at large. 
Second Report on Mn. SPRUCE’S Collections of Dried Plants from 
Norte BRAZIL; óy GEORGE BENTHAM, Esq. : 
(See First Report, vol. ii. of this Journal, pp. 209, 233.) 
The collections forming the subject of the present report were made 
chiefly in the neighbourhood of Santarem, during Mr. Spruce’s residence 
there in October and November 1849, and from January to October 
1850, and during an excursion made from thence to Obidos, to the Rio _ 
