THE BOTANISTS OF PHILADELPHIA. 359 



member of the Academy of Natural Sciences and as 

 Recording Secretary of the Botanical Section, he had excel- 

 lent opportunities to pursue his favorite science. His botan- 

 ical associates, Dr. J. B. Brinton, Mr. Redfield, Air. Isaac 

 Burke, Mr. Martindale, were all botanists of more than 

 local repute. Dr. Rothrock, of the University, and Mr. 

 Charles E. Smith, were also well acquainted with Professor 

 Scribner. 



In May, 1885, Professor Scribner was appointed Assistant 

 Botanist in the Department of Agriculture, and later became 

 Chief of the Section of Vegetable Pathology. Afterwards, 

 he accepted the Directorship of the Tennessee Agricultural 

 Experiment Station, and held the position also of botanist 

 in the same institution, until he was again called to 

 Washington to become the head of the Department of 

 Agrostology, Department of Agriculture, founded through 

 the determination of Secretary Morton to secure the services 

 of a capable agrostologist, whose entire time should be 

 devoted to the subject of grasses. His recommendation 

 by such men as Professor Charles E. Bessey, Professor 

 N. L. Britton, Professor W. G. Farlow, Dr. John M. 

 Coulter and others, speaks of the scientific standing 

 of Professor Scribner among his colleagues. Professor 

 Scribner is a member of a number of scientific societies, and 

 in 1889 he received from the French Government, for his 

 services in matters pertaining to viticulture and diseases of 

 the vine, the Chevalier's Cross of the Order of Merite 

 Agricole. He has written extensively upon botanical sub- 

 jects, and has one of the largest private collections of grasses 

 in the country (recently destroyed by fire), numbering 

 nearly 5000 specimens. 



