36 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



creditable to tbe Governmeut and the Institutiou tbau it bas ever yet 

 been. Sncb a collection will tend to draw to itself numerous isolated 

 collections, especially of autbropology, wbicb, tbough tbey may be of 

 mucb interest to tbe individuals possessing tbem, are of comparatively 

 little value in tbe way of advancing- a knowledge of tbe subject to 

 wbicb tbey pertain, and, in case of tbe deatb of tbe owners, are gener- 

 erally dissipated and frequently lost to tbe world. Tbe only way in 

 wbicb tbey can become of real importance is by making tbem part of a 

 general collection, carefull}^ preserved in some public institution, wbere 

 tbey can be studied and compared witb otber specimens, and wbere, in 

 tbe course of tbe increasing ligbt of science, tbey may be made to 

 reveal trutbs beyond present anticipation. 



Serbarium. — An account of tbe transfer of tbe extensive collection 

 of plants of tbe Institution to tbe care of tbe Department of Agriculture 

 bas been given in previous reports, but it is tbougbt important to place 

 ou record a more detailed bistory of tliis collection tban bas yet been 

 published, and I tberefoi'e present tbe following account of it from notes 

 furnisbed by Dr. Torrey. 



Tbe Institution baving accumulated a large number of botanical 

 specimens collected in various parts of tbe Morld, most of tbem brought 

 home by the Government exploring expeditions, others presented by 

 authors of botanical works, travelers or special collectors, the offer 

 was made by Professor John Torrey to arrange, without compensation, 

 all these separate collections into one general herbarium. This offer was 

 gladly accepted ou the part of tbe Institution, and all the specimens 

 on band, and all that were subsequently received up to 1809, were 

 transferred to him. When be commenced the task, the specimens, 

 especially those collected by the Institution, were still in bundles as 

 they were received, and all required to be poisoned to prevent their 

 destruction by insects, wbicb had already commenced their ravages. 

 The plan adopted b}^ Dr. Torrey for tbe arrangement of tbe plants was 

 of the most approved character. Each species, often represented by sev- 

 eral specimens, and all the marked varieties, are fastened to a half sheet 

 of strong white paper and labeled. All tbe species of a genus are laid 

 on one or more whole sheets of thicker tinted paper, on tbe lower left- 

 band corner of Avliicb the generic name is written. The genera are 

 arranged according to the natural system, following for the most part 

 tbe order of De Candolle. A very large proportion of the specimens 

 are authentically named by the authors who have described them ; and 

 as tbey are the type-specimens or originals of several important works 

 are invaluable for reference. Some of the more valuable portions 

 of the Smithsonian herbarium are the following : 



1. The plants collected by the exploring exi)editiou under the command 

 of Admiral Wilkes, during the years 1838 to 1842. Many countries were 

 visited in this voyage round the world, and an extensive herbarium 



