12 Twenty-third Rev ORT. ON the State Cabinet. 



and we can only pack them in boxes till space sliall be aj)pro- 

 priated and cases provided. 



In the department of Botany, Mr. Peck is doing much good 

 work, and in a direction which all lovers of science will be glad 

 to recognize. The plan of work which he has marked out will, 

 I think, commend itself to the Board of Regents, and should 

 receive the support of every intelligent person in the State. 

 This plan may be briefly stated as follows : 



1. Investigations for the discovery of species not before known 

 in the State, and collecting specimens, not only of these, but 

 also of any new or interesting varieties of previously known 

 sj^ecies, j)rovided that such are not already represented in the 

 Herbarium ; the ultimate object being the representation in the 

 State Herbarium of every species and important variety of plant 

 found growing uncultivated in the State. 



2. !N'oting any new or interesting facts relative to the habits or 

 economical relations of any plant, occasionally recommending 

 for cultivation such as give especial promise of being useful. 



3. Making a record of new localities of rare plants, the 

 observed habitats of the Crj^Dtogamia, and their time of occur- 

 rence in the season, or the time of maturation of the fruit of 

 perennial species ; the ultimate object being to make a complete 

 catalogue of the plants of the State ; such catalogue to give, if 

 deemed desirable, the range of geographical distribution of local 

 or rare sj)ecies. 



4. Giving descriptions of new or unpublished sj)ecies, and, to 

 some extent, of jDublished ones, when su.ch descriptions are 

 inaccessible to the mass of students ; the object being to increase 

 and disseminate a knowledge of our plants, to correct errors and 

 to aid and encourage students of natural history. 



Mr. Peclv has reported as additions to the Herbarium the past 

 3^ear four hundred and thirteen species of plants, of which three 

 hundred and twelve are new to the State, and sixty-seven new 

 to science. This fact, together with the evidence furnished by 

 this report herewith presented, will show the progress being 

 made toward the completion of the work in this department of 

 the Museum. 



While able to report excellent progress in cataloguing the 

 Plants of tlie State, I would earnestly recommend the prepara- 

 tion ^f a catalogue of the Insects of the State. I would also 

 suggest for the consideration of the Board the commencement 

 of an Entomological collection for the Museum. 



