THE BOTANISTS OF PHILADELPHIA. 39 



In addition to these are the official organs of Great Britain, 

 France, Germany, Russia, Italy, Australia, Japan, Mexico 

 and the South American countries. 



There is also kept a complete" file of statistical docu- 

 ments issued by different countries in relation to trade and 

 commerce. The information and data contained in all of 

 these publications is compiled and indexed for ready refer- 

 ence under the most approved library methods, so that the 

 merchant or manufacturer may easily and quickly find that 

 which refers to the particular line of industry in which he 

 is interested. 



The authorities expect, in the near future, to move the 

 collections to West Philadelphia, near the University of 

 Pennsylvania. On June 27, 1895, City Councils passed an 

 ordinance giving over to the Trustees eight acres of land 

 along the Schuylkill. By an ordinance approved October 

 10, 1896, eight acres more were added to this, making six- 

 teen acres. Recently $200,000 has been appropriated out of 

 the " loan bill " to commence work on the buildings ; 

 $50,000 was granted by the State of Pennsylvania; $100,- 

 000 has been raised by private subscription; and in 

 December, 1898, the Congress of the United States passed a 

 bill, which was signed by the President, authorizing the 

 expenditure of $350,000 in the erection of exhibition and 

 museum buildings for the Philadelphia Commercial 

 Museums, so that the museums have become a national as 

 well as a state and municipal enterprise.* 



A casual reader will see, after perusing this sketch of 



* Since writing the above, exposition buildings have been started and are 

 well under way. An Exposition and Commercial Congress, it is planned, will be held 

 in Philadelphia, beginning with the middle of September, 1899. It is planned that 

 two of the exposition buildings, under course of erection, will become a permanent 

 part of the Commercial Museums. 



