BIOGKAPHICAL SKETCH OF M. S. BEBB. 29 



Sporodesmium exasperatum. On the bottom of an oaken 

 barrel in a cellar, May 10, 1894 (No. 1461). 



Pulvinate, 1-4 mm. diam., subconflaent, black. Conidia 

 varying in size from a single globose cell 5-7 /f diam. to sub- 

 globose, obovate, or irregular shaped, uniseptate, quadrate 

 or variously septate, subpedicellate, 10-20/i diam,, all dis- 

 tinctly roughened with small subhyaline warts. The wood 

 around the pulvinate tufts is stained purple-red. 



BIOGRA.PHI0AL SKETCH OF M. S. BEBB. 



By S. B. Pakish. 



Michael S. Bebb was born December 23d, 1833, at 

 Hamilton, Ohio. His father was a leading member of the 

 Ohio bar, and in 1846 was elected Governor of that State. 

 Subsequently Governor Bebb removed with his family to the 

 neighborhood of the present city of Rockford, Illinois, where 

 he had purchased a large tract of land. Becoming interested 

 in founding a colony near Knoxville, Tennessee, the 

 Governor and his family resided for a time in that city. 

 But the Civil War soon breaking out Governor Bebb, who 

 was ardently loyal to the Union side, was compelled hastily 

 to return to the North. 



At this time Mr. Bebb entered the government service at 

 Washington, and continued to be so employed until the 

 conclusion of the war, when, his father having died, he 

 undertook the management of the paternal farm in Illinois. 

 But being by this time married and having a family growing 

 up about him, he removed, with a view to their education, to 

 Eiockford, and this beautiful town remained his home for the 

 rest of his life. 



In 1872 the position of Botanist to the Department of 

 Agriculture was offered to him, but he declined to accept the 

 office, influenced largely by the dissatisfaction with which 



