1904.] natural sciences of philadelphia. 851 



The Botanical Section. 



During the year much progress has been made in the arrangement 

 of the Herbarium, the collections now being in better condition and 

 more readily accessible than ever before. 



The erection of new cases in the centre of the south herbarium room 

 has resulted in the rearrangement of all the flow^ering plants, thus 

 relieving the congested condition of many of the cases. 



The large case containing seeds, etc., formerly in the south room, has 

 been moved to the north gallery room, where it is readily accessible 

 to any one desiring to study its contents. 



Over 18,000 sheets have been added to the collection during the 

 year, acquired principally by purchase and exchange, although many 

 liberal donations have been received. 



These include the herbarium of the late Dr. Charles Schaeffer, con- 

 taining his collections for many seasons in the British Columbia 

 region, presented by Mrs. Mary S. Shaeffer;and the gift by Dr. Ida 

 A. Keller of her entire herbarium, including a number of plants from 

 Europe. 



Smaller collections were received from Mr. Charles S. Williamson, 

 from the eastern United States; Mr. Benjamin H. Smith, from south 

 Florida; the United States National Museum and Messrs. Witmer 

 Stone, E. G. Vanatta, Dr. Campbell E. Waters, Edward Potts, Henry S. 

 Conard, and the Conservator. These are noted in detail in the 

 Additions to the Museum. 



The Section has purchased a collection of 178 sheets of Washington 

 plants from Mr. Henry S. Conard, and 365 sheets of California plants 

 from Mr. A. A. Heller, the collections of the past season, containing 

 many novelties. 



The important collection made by Mr. Herbert H. Smith in the 

 Santa Marta region of Colombia has been purchased by the Academy, 

 and numbers 2,500 sheets; also the West African collections of Dr. 

 Pritzel, numbering 1,776 sheets, and the herbarium of Alexander 

 MacElwce, acquired through purchase and exchange, numbering 

 approximately 10,000 sheets, a considerable proportion of which are 

 mounted. 



The Academy's expeditions added 450 sheets, as follows : 



Thomasville, Georgia, 50 sheets, collected by Mr. J. A. G. Rehn; 

 Cuba and southern Florida, 125 and 25 respectively, collected by Dr. 

 H. A. Pilsbry, and from the Florida keys, 250 sheets, collected by the 

 Conservator. 



