104 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



when we consider the great expense and the amount of room and 

 care required for its preservation. 



The library contains works on nearly every family of plants 

 that is needed for reference, the plates, in most instances, being 

 better, on account of color and perspective, than the dried plants 

 themselves would be, for ordinary identification. The principal 

 needs seem to be works, as yet unpublished, on American Ferns, 

 Grasses, Willows, Asters, Golden-rods, and perhaps a few others 

 of the larger genera of native and foreign plants. 



The Society has now a very complete collection of the American 

 Ferns in perfect order. Judging from the frequent reference made 

 to this collection, it seems to form a very valuable addition to the 

 library. It would appear desirable that a collection of native and 

 introduced grasses, for which there is already an excellent founda- 

 tion, the asters, golden-rods, and willovv^s should be formed. They 

 would occupy but little space, be easily taken care of when once 

 in order, and are all plants which may be readily collected. The 

 ferns and grasses are plants which, when dried, retain nearly all the 

 characters they possess when in a living state ; the others retain 

 their characters to a considerable extent, but not so remarkably as 

 the ferns and grasses. Very many plants, often whole families, 

 when prepared for the herbarium would scarcely be recognized by 

 the unpractised eye as being the same species when seen in the 

 living state. 



Much has been written and said recently concerning the utility 

 of museums and collections, and the feeling is rapidlj^ gaining 

 ground that something more is necessary than a scientific name 

 attached to the specimen on exhibition. In Europe, according 

 to the reports of their museums, particularly the English, they do 

 not consider it beneath their dignity to place on the labels a full 

 account of the specimen, and at the great South Kensington 

 Museum, the money value of the article on exhibition may be 

 seen. Few of the institutions in this country have done much as 

 yet towards making their collections of educational value to the 

 public, but many are commencing illustrative collections in certain 

 departments, arranged and labelled in a manner to instruct the 

 visitors, even should they be entirely ignorant of scientific matters. 

 A horticultural society can be expected to do but little in this di- 

 rection, though descriptive labels could be placed on any new or 

 curious plants, particularly our native species when on exhibition, 



