8 METASPERMAE OF THE MINNESOTA VALLEY. 



Doubtless other titles could be added, but the above will in- 

 dicate most of the geographical work that has been accom- 

 plished upon the plants of Minnesota. A large number of local 

 collectors are and have been residing in Minnesota, and to the 

 energy of these is due our information, at present accessible, 

 concerning the plants of Minnesota. To give a list of these 

 would be difficult since they are scattered throughout every 

 county. Many have but meagre collections, while some have 

 worked long and patiently over the state flora and possess 

 good representative collections from all parts of its domain. 



Unfortunately, the only excellently complete list of Min- 

 nesota flowering-plants and ferns is not largely based upon 

 an existing herbarium. In the herbarium of the Geological 

 and Natural History Survey, when it came under the charge 

 of the present State Botanist, there were only 621 species of 

 our vascular flora out of about 1,700 known, represented by 

 specimens. Since that time many of the gaps have been filled, 

 while many remain. The Arthur list of 1887 is fortunately 

 based upon a skilfully prepared and carefully preserved 

 herbarium and this is on file in the cases of the Survey. 

 Other accessions to the state-flora, as represented in the 

 herbaria preserved at the University have come from time to 

 time through exchange, presentation and personal collection. 

 The principal and most important contributions to the state- 

 cabinets have been made under the present working plan. In 

 June, 1891, Messrs. E. P. Sheldon, C. A. Ballard and B. C. 

 Taylor were commissioned to prosecute field-work in different 

 portions of the Minnesota valley. Mr. Ballard spent two 

 months in the vicinity of the mouth of the Minnesota, working 

 through Carver, Scott and Dakota counties, Messrs. Sheldon 

 and Taylor spent three months in the southern and western 

 portions of the valley. Pope and Douglas counties were specially 

 studied by Mr. Taylor, and the valleys of the Cottonwood, Red- 

 wood and Lac Que Parle by Mr. Sheldon, who also spent some 

 time along the northeast slope of the Coteau des Prairies, 

 especially in the vicinity of Lake Benton. Through the intel- 

 ligent, energetic and expert endeavors of these, some 20,000 

 specimens of flowering-plants, vascular cryptogams, mosses, 

 fungi and fresh-water algae were collected, of which number 

 more than 3,000 have been mounted in proper fashion and 

 placed in the herbarium of the survey. The total number 

 includes many exchange plants and duplicates which will be of 

 value in building up weak places in the general herbarium. 



