6 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



In a third chapter, under the heading "Species not before re- 

 ported," are the names of species new to our flora. This contains 

 the names of a few species that had previously been recorded and 

 were represented in the herbarium as varieties of other species, 

 but they have now been raised to specific rank and are herein 

 recorded as good species. Remarks concerning habitats, descrip- 

 tions of new species, and the time of collecting the specimens, are 

 given under their respective species. The number of species re- 

 corded is 80. Of these 35 belong to the genus Crataegus. 



In a fourth chapter, bearing the title "Remarks and observa- 

 tions," there is a record of new stations of rare plants, descriptions 

 of new varieties, remarks concerning peculiar or distinguishing 

 features of certain plants and new names given to some species as 

 required by the law of priority. 



The number of identifications of species made for correspondents 

 and others, who have sent or brought specimens of plants to the 

 office of the botanist for this purpose, is 675. The number of per- 

 sons for whom identifications have been made is 100. 



The number of species of mushrooms that have been tried and 

 approved as edible is 8. Descriptions of these and of a new variety 

 of a species previously found to be edible constitute a chapter 

 entitled "Edible fungi." Colored figures of natural size have been 

 prepared of all these and placed on 7 plates, octavo size. The 

 number of New York species and varieties of edible mushrooms 

 previously reported is 153. 



Colored figures of 5 new species are given on 3 similar plates. 

 The study of our Crataegus flora has been continued, and many 

 specimens of trees and shrubs of this genus have been collected. 

 The specific identity of many of these has not yet been determined. 

 Rochester and its vicinity have furnished plants from which 31 

 species of Crataegus have been described by Prof. C. S. Sargent. 

 Many of these were found within the limits of the city parks. By 

 the wise and careful forethought of Mr C. C. Laney, superintend- 

 ent of parks, labels have been placed on the particular thorn trees 

 and shrubs which furnished the material from which the descrip- 

 tions of the several new species were derived. Type trees, in a 

 genus in which many species resemble each other as closely as they 

 do in the genus Crataegus, possess a peculiar value and importance 

 and it is very fortunate in this instance, where so many type trees 

 and shrubs grow in such close proximity to each other and where 

 they can be protected, that they have been properly labeled with 

 their botanical names. It reduces very much any danger of mis- 

 takes in their identification. 



