REPORT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY 

 IN THE U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891. 



By Ceorge Vasey, Honorary Curator. 



The report now presented constitutes my third annunl report relating 

 to the National Herbarium. The growth of the Herbarium during the 

 past year has been very marked, the number of mounted sheets added 

 being 50 per cent more than last year, and the accessions both iu num- 

 ber of packages and of specimens having been doubled. 



ACCESSIONS. 



The accessions received during the year ending June 30, 1801, num- 

 ber G22, of which 44 were received through the National Museum, the 

 rest chiefly from collectors employed by the Dei)artment of Agriculture. 



The following are among the most important : 



A collectiou of 10,000 specimens made by Dr. Edward Palmer, who was employed 

 as special agent of the division of botany in western Mexico, mostly in tlie States of 

 Sonora and Colima. 



A set of 276 species from Capt. J. D. Smith, collected l>y liim in (Jnatemala and 

 dcmated to the herbarinm. 



Two sets of 300 species each, collected by C. G. Pringle in Mexico, one obtained by 

 purchase, and one through the Smithsonian lustitntion. 



A collection of 1,243 specimens of east Florida plants, collected by J. H. Simpson, a 

 special agent of the division of botany. 



A collection of 1,249 specimens of plants from western Texas, made by G. C. Nealley, 

 a special agent of the division. 



A collectiou of l,93r> specimens of Sontli American plants obtained by purchase 

 from Dr. H. H. Eusliy. 



A collection of 1,707 species, mostly from Minnesota, obtained by purchase and 

 donation from J. M. Holzinger. 



A collectiou of 2,216 plants made by Jesse Holmes, a special agent in eastern Mary- 

 land and New Jersey. 



A collection of 7,600 specimens from the Death Valley region, of Califoruia, and 

 of Nevada and Arizona, made by Frederick V. Coville and Frederick Fuuston, Avho 

 were special agents of the division of botany. 



A set of 300 si»e(!ies of South American pla-nts obtained by purchase from Dr. 

 Thomas Moroug. 



A miscellaneous collectiou of about 850 plants obtained by donation aiul exchange 

 from Dr. N. L. Brittou. 



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