1899.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 545 



ists have been present, and communications of interest received 

 and discussed. Field meetings in connection with allied societies 

 in the city have been found of much value in bringing together 

 those with a community of interest. 



The proposition to raise $20,000 as a herbarium fund in mem- 

 ory of our lamented fellow -member, John H. Redfield, reached 

 about one-fourth of the amount ; arrangements were being made 

 to increase the fund, when it became desirable for the Academy 

 to make a strenuous effort to raise money for another purpose. 

 Not to divide the interest it was thought best to defer the Section's 

 effort. It is, however, pleasant to record that from this fund the 

 collectiona of C. C. Pringle for the past three years have been 

 secured. Contributions of specimens have been made by Steward - 

 son Brown, C. F. Saunders, William M. Cauby and Anna C. 

 Hartshorne. 



The genera formerly composing the North American herbarium 

 have been brought into proximity with the same genera in the 

 general herbarium. The plants are still kept in their separate 

 genera covers, but the j^resent arrangement favors comparison. 

 This work has been accomplished by the Conservator, aided by Mr. 

 Uselma C. Smith. The North American herbarium has been 

 enriched by the tine herbarium of the late Mr. William Wynne 

 Wister, a gift from his family. The specimens are in an admir- 

 able state of preservation. 



The work of mounting and verifying the specimens in the gen- 

 eral herbarium, assumed by the Director since the death of Mr. 

 Redfield, has reached only a few orders beyond those recorded last 

 year, the Director having given the season chiefly to labelling, 

 mounting and distributing the collections long on hand, Schlech- 

 ter's South African plants, Sharp's Arctic plants, and the mag- 

 nificent collections by Bang in Bolivia, have thus become an inte- 

 gral portion of the herbarium. 



In the early part of the summer Prof. Gandoger offered to 

 exchange a copy of his unique work, the Flora of Europe, in 

 twenty-seven volumes, for its value in North American plants. 

 The Section has never had the time to arrange for such exchanges. 

 In this instance Mr. U. C. Smith generously undertook to collect 

 from botanical friends nearly 1,200 species of plants required, 

 35 



