REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER' OP AGRICULTURE. 19 



This collection, like all museum collections, has an educational char- 

 acter. The rooms of this division are visited by thousands of persons, 

 who have the opportunity of examining the vegetable productions of the 

 country, and to some extent comi)aring them with those of other coun- 

 tries. Very few of tliese visitors will fail to gather some items of infor- 

 mation which will be a source of pleasure and instruction to them, will 

 be diffused by them, and thus have a beneficial influence on the popular 

 intelligence. 



The department receives from foreign nations by way of exchange and 

 otherwise many valuable specimens of woods and plants, which are ar- 

 rauged, verified, and classified by the botanist of this division; duplicates 

 are distributed to State agricultural colleges and other institutions of 

 learning, not only of these, but also of American forest woods. These 

 distributions have been highly appreciated, and are useful in promoting 

 the higher education which is demanded by the times for intelligent 

 agriculture. 



This botanical collection bas also a special scientific value. It is the 

 custom of all enhghtened countries to collect at government centers 

 specimens of the productions of the country, both for practical purposes 

 and for the promotion of scientific knowledge. These museums and her- 

 bariums bring together a vast mass of material which men of science in- 

 vestigate and classify, and add to the stock of human knowledge. 



Though much of this knowledge may be technical, and useful chiefiy 

 to specialists, it is necessary to the fiill development of those sciences 

 Avhich have so greatly advanced the culture and prosperity of mankind. 

 It is hardly necessary to say that it is the duty of the government to 

 advance the interests of education and science; and assuredly there is 

 no other department of the government where botanical science can be 

 more appropriately fostered and cared for than the Department of Agri- 

 culture. Here is the place where information respecting every vegetable 

 production of our vast country should be obtainable. Among the thou- 

 sands of visitors to the national capital are those who are interested in 

 education and science, who wiU gladly avail themselves of the opportu- 

 nity here offered to examine the productions of the entire country and 

 foreign states. 



Although much of the botanical material is special and scientific, it 

 should not be forgotten that it is the special knowledge of the botanist 

 which enables him to make those critical determinations respecting 

 species, and respecting the nature, properties, and value of the plants, 

 some of which are supposed to have valuable medicinal properties, some 

 which demand investigation on account of their injurious or poisonous 

 qualities, others for their economic value as fibers, cordage, or food, 

 and still another large series of inquiries respecting the native grasses 

 of different parts of the country and their respective worth for cultiva- 

 tion by the farmer and stock-raiser. 

 . During the last four or five years there have been no botanical col 



