THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 



dent, artisan and forester, those interested commercially 

 as well as those desiring to increase their knowledge of the 

 woodland. In its completeness and attractiveness, its 

 scientific correctness and educational value, the collection 

 is a splendid example of what such an exhibition should be. 



The collection was begun by Mr. Jesup in 1880, and 

 throughout his entire presidency it received his constant 

 attention. In its perfected condition it displays in related 

 groups or families more than five hundred species of North 

 American trees. Each tree is represented by a section of 

 trunk, five feet high, cut lengthwise radially two and one 

 quarter feet, the cut surface showing the color and graining 

 of the quartered lumber in its natural and polished state. 

 Accompanying many of the specimens are wax models of 

 leaves, 2 flowers and fruit. Attention is called particularly 

 to the flowers of the decorative magnolias, of the basswood, 

 interesting to bee keepers, to the curious fruits of the sas- 

 safras, persimmon and Osage orange and to the autumn 

 foliage of oak, sweet gum and sumach. 



The most conspicuous specimen is a section of the Big 

 Tree,-' 5 "Mark Twain" (Sequoia washingtoniana) , cut about 

 twelve feet from the base. The section is sixteen and one 

 half feet in diameter, and according to the annual rings 

 was 1341 years old when cut down in the autumn of 1891. 



2 Plant Forms in Wax .10. 



3 The Big Tree and its Story .10 



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