76 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1895. 



Heibaiiuni, also plants from British America, Japan, Mautcliuria, China, 

 Sandwich Islands, Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil, and Para- 

 guay; also from Hungary, Illyria, and other parts of Europe. Collec- 

 tions were also received from the Imperial Academy of Science at St. 

 Petersburg and from the Imperial Botanic Carden. 



During the twenty-six years following tlie transfer, up to the year 

 1894, many large and valuable accessions have been added, a. large 

 proportion of which was received by the Department of Agriculture. 

 The Herbarium now contains not less than 275,000 specimens. 



The fact that the Herbarium was not housed in a fireproof building 

 has been the occasion of criticism, and during the session of ther)0tan- 

 ical Congress in Madison, Wis.,^ this subject was discussed and the 

 tbllowing I'esolutions drafted: 



Whereas the Natioual Herbarium, with all its wealth of specimens of inestimable 

 value, is at preseut deposited iu a buildiug which from its construction and use is 

 peculiarly liable to destruction by fire; and 



Whereas such destruction would be an irreparalde loss to tlic science ot botany; 

 therefore, be it 



Besolred, That we, the members of the Madison Botanical Con<>;ress, hereby appeal 

 to the Senators and Representatives of the National Congress to make early provision 

 for a suitable fireproof building for the preservation of this scientilic treasure, and 

 we would respecti'ully request the Secretary of Agriculture to urge upon Congress 

 the desirability of prompt action iu this matter. 



Actuated, no doubt, in part by the sense of responsibility involved, 

 the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture in a letter, having the approval 

 of the Secretary of Agriculture, dated July 24, 1894, and addressed to 

 the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, after recognizing the 

 Institution as the lawful custodian of the scientific collections of the 

 Government, requested the transfer of the Herbarium to the immediate 

 custody of the Institution. To this the Institution assented, in a letter 

 dated July 28, 1894, signed by the Acting Secretary. A third letter, 

 addiessed by the Secretary of Agriculture to the Secretary of the 

 Smithsonian Institution, dated August 16, 1894, directed the transfer 

 of the Herbarium. The actual removal of the collection was effected 

 in Sei»tember, 1894. 



Mr. Frederick V.Coville, botanist of the De])artment of Agriculture, 

 has succeeded Dr. (leorge A^asey as honorary curator of the depart- 

 ment of Itotany, and in this capacity is in charge of the National 

 Herbarium. Dr. J. IST. Rose, of the Departmen.t of Agriculture, has 

 been appointed assistant curator. 



The correspondence above referred to is here i)resented: 



J'lioM TMK ASSISTANT SECUETARV OF AGKICULTtTRE. 



July. 24, 1894. 



Siu: The Smithsonian Institution, as we understand it, is designated by law the 



custodian of all of the scientilic collections of the Government. This Department 



has already transferred many collections, parts of collections, and specimens to the 



care of your Institution, and will, it is hoped, continue to do so from time to time. 



• August 23, 189.'5 



