362 Field Columbian- Museum — Reports. Vol. II. 



galleries, has been removed to storage and its place filled with a 

 complete series of 41 new wall cases and 4 new floor cases, in which 

 the systematic installation, representing Economic Botany, begun 

 upon the transept galleries, will be continued in greatly expanded 

 form. The plan for installing these cases embodies the intercalation 

 of the cases already installed with the new ones, and the installation 

 of 8 new cases with products of the Grass family; i of the Sedge 

 family ; 7 of the Palm family ; i of the Pineapple family ; i of the 

 Lily family ; i of the Banana family ; %. of the Orchid and K of the 

 Ginger family ; i of the Willow family ; yi. of the Walnut and % of the 

 Birch family ; i of the Oak family ; i of the Laurel family ; ^ of the 

 Poppy and y^ of the Mustard family ; i of the Rose family ; 2 of the 

 Bean family; i of the Olive family; >^ of the Cactus and y^ of the 

 Parsley family ; yi of the Milkweed and V2 of the Milkwort families ; 

 I of the Chocolate family ; i of the Mint family ; 2 of the Nightshade 

 family ; i of the Daisy family ; and several of the families including 

 the Fungi. Mosses, Seaweeds, Lichens, etc. As an adjunct to the 

 work of the department and the reconstruction of the north court 

 galleries, the north gallery has been partly enclosed in such manner 

 as to form a well lighted study 12 x 20 feet, and an installing and 

 storage room 12 x6s feet, without in any way interfering with the 

 disposition of the collections or the free movement and comfort of 

 the public. These changes have converted the north court galleries 

 into an harmonious uniformity of arrangement that must invite and 

 enhance public interest in the collections, and broaden its knowledge 

 of the sources of economic wealth in the vegetable kingdom. The 

 heretofore crowded Herbarium quarters have been remodeled and 

 enlarged to a capacity sufficient for about five years of normal growth, 

 by throwing the three rooms into one, through the removal of old 

 plaster partitions, and the building of an extension 16 x 28 feet 

 south of and adjoining the west room. This yields well lighted and 

 thoroughh' ventilated rooms for the Assistant Curator ; accommoda- 

 tions for the Herbarium Recorder and his catalogue and record books ; 

 a consecutive arrangement for the herbarium itself; and a well 

 lighted and equipped mounting, storage and distributing room for 

 the Herbarium Preparators. The case equipment of the herbarium 

 has been augmented by the installation of four blocks (of eight cases 

 each) of steel construction. These new steel cases appear, at present. 

 to be the acme of herbarium case construction, being of neat appear- 

 ance, in part, at least, fire proof and air tight; and having a solidity 

 and evident permanency that is highly gratifying. All danger of 



