143 



and recognition of such plants ns are often sent in for identiti cation. 

 Thus, specimens of grasses and forage plants are frequently sent to this 

 Department by farmers and o^ers on account of some s[)ecial qualities 

 of excellence or adaptation to"' the peculiar conditions of some location 

 in Avhich they have been observed to grow. 



In .connection with the ordinary botanical specimens, it would seem 

 to be highly desirable to have a more complete representation of all our 

 native forest-trees, in the form of sections of the trunk or body of the 

 trees, in such form as to illustrate the natural appearance both of the 

 bark and of the wood — a section of the wood being also polished, to 

 show the quality of the grain and its adaptation to mechanical pur- 

 poses. Such a collection, properly prepared, would prove of great 

 interest not only to science, but to practical agriculture and mechanics, 

 and would tend to show how rich are our native forests in the variety 

 and value of their trees for various purposes in the arts and manu- 

 factures. 



This feature of the work would also have a practical bearing upon the 



important questions now agitating the public mind, viz : The presorva- 



tion and perpetuation of the forests of the country. Every means pos- 



, sible should be employed to diffuse information on this subject, and thus 



promote national wealth and prosperity. • 



Another object of great importance to the country is the diffusion of 

 information respecting the vegetable or fungoid diseases which affect 

 many of our most valuable agricultural products. Our grains, our or- 

 chards, and vineyards in many localities are suffering from the ravages 

 of blight, mildew, mold, rot, or other fungous parasites. The^e require in- 

 vestigation, in the expectation that a full knowledge of their nature and 

 habits of growth will enable us to discover means of arresting and con- 

 trolling their progress. 



Jn conclusion, 1 will express the hope that the value of this collection 

 to the cause of science will not be overlooked. 



To a casual observer there may not appear any connection between 

 the multitude of specimens arranged in the cabinet of the naturalist 

 and the cause of agriculture. To the inexperienced hundreds of these 

 specimens appear identical. But all intelligent persons are aware that 

 it is only by virtue of an intimate knowledge of the multiplicity of forms 

 which crowd every department of science, and of the relations and 

 affinities which they sustain to each other, that the specialist is enabled 

 to recognize and classify the various objects which come to his attention. 

 It is this special knowledge which enables the botanist to recognize a 

 new grass or other plant, and to judge what may be expected of it as 

 an object of cultiva,tiou. 



Indeed, at the present day, it cannot require much argument to show 

 the influence of science on mental culture, aud consequently on national 

 elevation, in other respects thaii those which relate to immediate pecun- 

 iary i)rofits. 



SCIENTIFIC NOTES. 



iNCEEASiNa THS} VIGOR OF aROWTii Ds PLANTS. — A very important 

 announcement has lately been made in l^'^rance as to the effect produced 

 upon the luxuriance of vegetation by the disturbance of the natural 

 position of the branches. It has been known for some time that if two 

 branches of a fruit-tree be selected of about the same size, aud the same 



