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tion. Simple, but most important, were the experiments by 
Francesco Redi which helped to disprove the theory of spontan- 
eous generation, the 1671 edition of his Eaperimenta Circa Genera- 
tionem Insectorum being in the library. 
The valuable Linnaean Collection, works by Linnaeus, 1707- 
1778, or works based on his system of classification, contains 
several hundred volumes. 
The post-Linnaean classics contain several “foundation” books: 
The first edition of a work by Spallanzani, 1785, which helped to 
establish the doctrine of biogenesis, Humboldt’s Essai sur la Géo- 
graphie des Plantes, 1805, which laid the foundation of plant geog- 
raphy, papers by Schleiden and by Schwann, 1839, on which was 
based the modern cell-theory, Hofmeister’s work, 1851, on repro- 
duction in lower plants, and Gregor Mendel’s paper, 1866, de- 
scribing his experiment on peas which founded the scientific study 
of heredity. 
First editions of books by Charles Darwin comprise the Botanic 
Garden’s collection of Darwiniana, including his On The Origin 
of Species by Means of Natural Selection, as well as all Darwin's 
works relating to plant life. 
A gift of five hundred dollars was made by the Mrs. Field’s 
Literary Club of Brooklyn, in 1939, for the purchase of rare books 
to constitute a-‘memorial to Mrs. George White Field, the founder 
of the club. Purchases from this fund included works by Dillenius, 
1741, Linnaeus, 1737, and Pasteur, 1862. 
These rare volumes in the Botanic Garden library have great 
value, not only because they are collector’s items but because they 
are original sources of information regarding the history and de- 
velopment of many phases of botany. It was a great pleasure 
to the Director to know that they were frequently consulted by 
students. 
Two other collections reflect Dr. Gager’s personal interest, one 
of autograph letters and the other of portraits of famous botanists, 
living and dead. The autographs include such well-known names 
as Francois André Michaux, Linnaeus, Robert Brown, Sir 
William Hooker, Thomas Huxley and John Torrey. A letter by 
Linnaeus, 1767, introducing a friend, and making a request for 
needed seeds, one by Charles Darwin, mentioning certain papers 
