44 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Flint, Mich.; 2,880 were purchased of tli^ widow of G. H. Hicks; 6,705 

 were purchased of Prof. Chas. A. Davis while teaching in the University 

 of Michigan. All of the above collections are distinguished especially 

 for the Michigan plants therein contained. Add to these the work of 

 a host of other collectors in various parts of Michigan. I enumerate 

 some of them: 



L. H. Bailey, Bronson Barlow, E. J. Cole, A. A. Crozier, L. H. Dewey, 

 C. K. Dodge, O. A. Farwell, U. P. Hedrick. B. O. Longyear, C. D. Mc- 

 Louth, A. A. Petton, A. J. Pieters, H. C. Skeels. 



Especial pains have been taken to make the collection complete in 

 grasses, sedges, clovers, weeds and economic plants in general. For 

 example, A. Phelps Wyman in two seasons collected over 1,700 numbered 

 and authentic herbarium specimens of trees and shrubs in the Arnold 

 Arboretum, Massachusetts. Hundreds of my own collections — more 

 than 4,000 specimens — are included in this herbarium. 



The chief value of a good herbarium to this college is to aid in identify- 

 ing plants received in the botanic garden, planted on the campus, or 

 plats of the experiment station. You would be surprised to learn of the 

 large number of cultivated plants, weeds and plants from forests and 

 swamps which are sent the department of botany to learn name, use, 

 whether poisonous, whether a weed, and if noxious, easiest way to com- 

 bat. Samples of grass seeds and clover seeds are sent asking names of 

 weed seeds therein contained. In like manner specimens of plants at- 

 tacked by fungi are often sent in for name and remedy. Nor are all the 

 inquiries from Michigan people. They come from any state in the 

 union, not excepting Canada. One letter brought three kinds of dodder 

 — a parasitic vine — collected in Nevada. To help in experiments and 

 in the preparation of a bulletin it was important that each be correctly 

 identified. The herbarium was a great help in enabling us to send him 

 a full and correct reply to all questions. 



The department owns a recent list of seed plants of North America 

 prepared by A. A. Heller of California. Blank leaves intervene on which 

 may be written names of new plants or those introduced from any 

 sources. For more than three years past I have examined every new 

 specimen, comparing it with the name in the catalog, checking every- 

 thing that is new to the herbarium. Again, specific directions are given 

 an unskilled person, telling how to poison, mount and put in place every 

 acquisition. When mounted, I inspect every specimen to know that the 

 work has been well done. 



By this report you get a little insight into the labor required to make 

 a large herbarium and keep it in repair. The work is out of sight of 

 members of the state board, of the faculty, of visitors, and might be 

 slighted or discontinued at any time and no one would be likely to know 

 it. My love for work and of work well done is an ever-present stimulus 

 to keep doing. 



The present room will not contain cases for the installation of more 

 than an addition of eight or ten thousand specimens. Shall we then 

 stop, or make more room? 



