198 



In all cases as far as possible such ctcological notes as are of value should 

 be entered in the record. The note-book should also show under the 

 proper serial number, the quantity of that form collected. 



It is of course too much to 'expect in a voluntary work such as that pro- 

 posed by the State Academy that every person w^ho aids in the work ^ill 

 be able to keep typical records, for that is possible only in the case of 

 specially trained collectors, but with a full knowledge of the facts needed 

 each person contributing to this work can add some fact not definitely 

 known concerning our state flora. 



In a general way collectors should secure a sufficient quantity of any 

 given form to admit of distribution into sets, a fact which should be es- 

 pecially observed in the case of rare plants or those of local distribution. 

 This advice does not point in the direction of the extermination of such 

 forms, for in all cases the collector, inferentially at least, is supposed to be 

 free from any tendency to vandalism. They should also be careful in all 

 cases to make c/uiqihie specimens, a work that will necessitate some pre- 

 liminary study of the (Jifferent groups. Perhaps the most valuable sets of 

 directions which we have for collectors are to be found in the publication 

 of F. H. Knowlton of the Smithsonian Institute, and the collector's num- 

 ber of the Botanical Gazette (vol. 11 No. 9). An examination of either of 

 these publications will serve to assist the collector in his work and also 

 add much to the value of his collection. Those intending to collect should 

 notify the person in charge of the phanerogamic flora, in order that he 

 may suggest to them special points for investigation and study. Through 

 these special studies much of value may be accomplished. 



It is evident from the preceding pages that in my opinion, the work, as 

 far at least as the phanerogams are concerned, should be placed in the 

 hands of one person. He should assign special groups for determination 

 to those specially fitted for the work and should indicate as far as possible 

 the regional problems for investigation. It would, under such conditions, 

 be possible to effect such co-ordination of work that the results would be 

 not only of scientific but of economic value. 



Material should be collected, so that complete and authenticated sets 

 couid be distributed to each college maintaining a herbarium, and from 

 which duplicates of special noteworthy forms could be furnished to the 

 specialists of the country. It should be a great, working herbarium, 

 thoroughly representative of the state, and sufficient for all the demands 

 that would naturally be made upon such a collection. 



