THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 93 



for a quarter of a century it enjoyed great popularity. Thous- 

 ands of people who now have an intellig-ent interest in nature, 

 date the beginning- of this interest from the time they became 

 members of the Association. The society had been going a 

 decade or more before the editor of this magazine was old 

 enough to join it, but he still remembers with pleasure the 

 broad and attractive vista into the out door world which it 

 opened to him, and which has since only grown wider and more 

 attractive with the years. With the advent in recent years of a 

 multitude of books on all subjects pertaining to nature, the in- 

 terest in the Agassiz Association has languished somewhat, 

 but Dr. Edward F. Bigelow, of Sound Beach, Conn., has re- 

 cently been attempting to revive it. He is now president of 

 the Association and two years ago the way seemed clear for a 

 realization of his ambition, A wealthy resident of Sound 

 Beach, decided to give a plot of ground with necessary build- 

 ings to the Association, for use in carrying on its work. There 

 was a string tied to this gift, however; if the Society failed to 

 prove a success in two years the owner reserved the right to 

 take back his gift. Dr. Bigelow accepted land and buildings 

 with great joy, knowing that with such a start failure was im- 

 possible, but Dr. Bigelow's idea of success, it appears, did not 

 co-incide with that of his whiloam benefactor. The latter, fin- 

 ancially a success, was disposed to measure the success of 

 others by the same standard and when at the end of two years, 

 the society failed to show a good cash balance on the right side 

 of the ledger, Dr. Bigelow was turned out of the eden he had 

 created, forthwith. Not discouraged by this rebuff the inde- 

 fatiguable Bigelow has started out to secure another and better 

 home for the Association with apparently every prospect of suc- 

 cess. A railway company has deeded to the Association more 

 than an acre of forest land, and friends have already contributed 

 upwards of two thousand dollars in cash for new buildings and 

 equipment. More funds are necessary, however, for an ade- 

 quate establishment of the work and Dr. Bigelow will be glad 



