APPENDIX V. 
REPORT ON PUBLICATIONS OF THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1891. 
SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO KNOWLEDGE. 
Sir: I have the honor to submit the following report upon the publications of the 
Smithsonian Institution for the year ending June 30, 1891: 
Although no addition has been made during the year to the series of ‘‘ Contribu- 
tions to Knowledge,” one issue has been made in a similar quarto form, consisting of 
a collection of botanical plates which had been prepared under the direction of the 
late Dr. Asa Gray between the years 1849 and 1859, now some forty years ago. This 
fragmentary series of 23 colored plates was designed as a portion of an extended illus- 
trated work on “ The Forest Trees of North America.” In the Secretary’s report to 
the Regents for 1849 it was stated: 
“Tt is intended in this work to give figures from original drawings of the flowers, 
leaves, fruit, etc., of each principal species in the United States proper, for the most 
part of the size of nature, and so executed as to furnish colored or uncolored copies, 
the first being intended to give an adequate idea of the species, and the second for 
greater cheapness and more general diffusion. This work will be completed in three 
parts, in octavo, with an atlas of quarto plates, the first part to be published next 
spring. A portion of this will be occupied with an introductory dissertation giving 
the present state of our knowledge (divested as much as possible of all unnecessary 
technical terms), of the anatomy, morphology, and physiology of the tree, tracing 
its growth from the embryo to its full development and reproduction in the forma- 
tion of fruit and seed. This will be illustrated by drawings from original dissections, 
under the microscope, and sketches made in every instance from nature.” 
The illustrations, so far as furnished, were skillfully drawn by Sprague, and were 
reproduced on stone by Sonrel, Prestele, and others; the impressions being care- 
fully colored by hand. In consequence of various unforeseen hindrances and delays 
this interesting work, unfortunately, was never completed by its eminent projector ; 
and no descriptive text was ever received from him, even of the plates which had 
been finished under his direction. 
Notwithstanding the time which has elapsed since their original preparation and 
the comparatively limited range of their represention, it was thought advisable that 
they should be issued for the benefit of botanists, who will undoubtedly be inter- 
ested in this unfinished work of their great leader and exponent, even without the 
advantage of his descriptive comments. 
SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS. 
The octavo publications of the year in this series are as follows: 
No. 747. ‘‘An Account of the Progress in Astronomy, for the years 1887, 1888,” by 
William C. Winlock. (From the Smithsonian Report for 1888.) Octavo pamphlet 
of 92 pages. 
No. 748. ‘‘An Account of the Progress in Geology, for the years 1887, 1888,” by W 
J McGee. (From the Smithsonian Report for 1888.) Octavo pamphlet of 44 pages. 
No. 749. “An Account of the Progress in North American Paleontology, for the 
years 1887, 1888,” by Henry 8. Williams. (From the Smithsonian Report for 1888, ) 
Octavo pamphlet of 66 pages. 
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