12 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER. 
tories, has forwarded from time to time living and dried plants and seeds. 
This collection is now in process of elaboration by the distinguished 
American botanists, Drs. Gray, Torrey, and Engelmann, and includes a 
considerable number of plants new to science, which will be greatly 
prized by scientific botanists, and eagerly sought by botanical insti- 
tutions at home and abroad. 
The design of establishing at the seat of Government a collection of 
plants worthy the name of a national herbarium is thus in process of 
rapid accomplishment, at comparatively small cost; and it is confidently 
expected that this collection, now probably the third in point of size, 
will eventually exceed all others in the amount and value of its material 
for illustrating North American botany. 
With a view to acquiring more direct information of the manner of 
arranging and displaying the usual botanical collections accumulated in 
the Old World, the botanist of the Department received leave of absence 
the past summer for a visit to Europe, which was made without expense 
to the Department. Every facility was freely enjoyed of inspecting the 
immense collections at Kew, and in the British Museum, and of learning 
the most approved methods of preparing and arranging plants for study 
and reference. Profiting by these results of large experience, we may 
hope eventually to rival the results obtained by these world-renowned 
institutions. 
THE LIBRARY. 
The library has been increased during the year by the collection of 
eight hundred and fourteen volumes, obtained through exchanges and 
by purchase, many of which are rare and valuable; and one hundred 
volumes of periodicals, now ready for binding, with further additions 
yet to be made, will swell its total increase for the year to about one 
thousand volumes. Scientific and practical botany, hitherto inade- 
quately represented in the library, is a prominent element in the acces- 
sions of the year. The operation of the system of foreign exchanges, 
so hopefully inaugurated, promising to furnish at a nominal cost the 
choicest productions of the foreign scientific and industrial press, espe- 
cially that of Germany and France, has for several months been sus- 
pended in those nationalities by the existing war, while exchanges with 
other countries are increasing in number and importance. 
THE DEPARTMENT GROUNDS. 
The improvement of the grounds of the Department is steadily ad- 
vancing toward completion in accordance with the original plan. A 
wall, appropriate in design and of sufficient strength, has been erected 
as a suitable and necessary support to the terrace walk in front of the 
building. This feature adds much to the appearance of that portion of 
the grounds, and when finished, with balustrades and other append- 
ages, will form a proper finish and coincide with the style of architec- 
ture in the building. 
