PREFACE. 



In the summer of 1895 Mr. C. L. Shear and the author were com- 

 missioned field agents by the Division of Agrostology of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture, and about seven weeks were spent 

 within the state of Montana. Collections were made in the vicinity 

 of several stations of the Union Pacific Railroad from Lima to Silver 

 Bow ; at Deer Lodge ; and at nine stations of the Northern Pacific 

 Railroad from Garrison to Bozeman. The following summer I was 

 again detailed by the Division for work in Montana, and was accom- 

 panied by Mr. J. H. Flodman, of Luther Academy, Wahoo, Ne- 

 braska, who made a private collection at the same time. Collec- 

 tions were made in the Spanish Basin of the Madison Range ; in 

 and around the Bridger, Elk, Little Belt, and Craz}- Mountains ; and 

 in the Gallatin and Musselshell Valleys. 



Although my work during these two summers was practically con- 

 fined to the grasses and other forage plants, I gained a fair know- 

 ledge of the general flora of the state. About two years ago I pub- 

 lished three papers in the Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club^ 

 under the title, "Rarities from Montana," and in them several new 

 species were described. 



In the summer of 1897, through the generosity of Mr. William E. 

 Dodge, of this city, a botanical expedition was sent out to Montana 

 and the Yellowstone National Park, under the auspices of this insti- 

 tution. The author was in charge of the expedition, and was as- 

 sisted by Mr. Ernst K. Bessey, then of the University of Nebraska. 

 Three months were spent in the field. With Bozeman as our base, 

 we visited first the Bridger Mountains and the Spanish Basin, then 

 crossed over into the Madison Valley, which we followed up into the 

 Yellowstone Park, and returned bv wav of the Yellowstone River 

 and Trail Creek Pass to Bozeman. At the following stations collec- 

 tions Vv'ere made : Bridger Mountains, Spanish Basin, Pole Creek, 

 Pony, Old Hollowtop in the Pony or South Boulder Mountains, 

 Meadow Creek, Jack Creek Canon, Cedar Mountain, Indian Creek 

 Canon and surrounding mountains. Wolf Creek, the Forks of the 

 Madison, and Cliff Lake, all in Montana ; Mt. Chauvet on the 

 boundary line between that state and Idaho ; near Henry's Lake, 



