REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON SCHOOL GARDENS, ETC. 311 



CHILDREN'S HERBARIUMS. 



The Children's Herbariums, November 27 and 28, 1896, filled 

 the Lower Hall. Most of the exhibitors of this year had exhibited 

 specimens before, and had learned by observation hoAV to mount 

 plants with the utmost neatness ; consequently no careless or hasty 

 work was to be found in the entire exhibit. Tliose who are able 

 to compare this exhibit with that of 1891 can appreciate the mani- 

 fest progress that has been made. 



Tlie herbarium of Arthur E. French, of Sudbury, was a model 

 of neatness. One can imagine how extensive his explorations 

 must have been, and how much labor was involved in the prepara- 

 tion of his exhibit, by considering the following facts : In 1895 he 

 obtained the first prize for one hundred and twent^'^-five flowering 

 plants, the first prize for twenty specimens of sedges, and an 

 extra award for excellence in pressing and mounting specimens. 

 This year he exhibited fifty grasses, including thirteen species of 

 Panicum, and one hundred and twenty-five flowering plants, twent\' 

 sedges, and ten ferns, all different plants from those which he had 

 previously exhibited. 



Arthur C. Faxon, of Jamaica Plain, made an exhibit equally 

 notable, in the form of a fifth contribution to our Annual Herbarium 

 Exhibition. He exhibited one hundred and twenty-five herba- 

 ceous plants, grasses, sedges, and ferns. When we consider that 

 these were all different species or varieties of plants from the 

 many which he has shown at four previous exhibitions, we can 

 understand how diligently he has worked and how carefully he has 

 observed. His specimens were complete and accurately named. 

 Among them were the rare asters A. Faxoni, A. Herveyi, A. 

 injirmus, and A. sxihulatus. 



Miss Lura J. Durgin, of Boston, received the first prize for one 

 hundred and twenty-five flowering plants, which were finel}' mounted 

 and showed every essential part. In the case of some specimens 

 the upper part of the plant, including the flowers, was on one sheet 

 and the lower part, including the root, on another. 



The Committee, with tlUe aid of all the expert assistance they 

 could call in, were not able to name some specimens in this col- 



