EUROPEAN HERBARIA. 17 



lously preserved in its original state, by his worthy son and 

 successor, Professor Adrien Jussieu, comprises many North 

 American plants of the older collectors, of which several are 

 authentic for species of Lamarck, Poiret, Cassini, etc. 



The herbarium of De Candolle at Geneva, accumulated 

 throughout the long and active career of this justly celebrated 

 botanist, and enriched by a great number of correspondents, 

 is surpassed by few others in size, and by none in importance. 

 In order that it may remain as authentic as possible for his 

 published works, especially the " Prodromus," no subsequent 

 accessions to families already published are admitted into the 

 general herbarium, but these are arranged in a separate col- 

 lection. The proper herbarium, therefore, accurately exhibits 

 the materials employed in the preparation of the " Prodro- 

 mus," at least so far as these were in Professor De Candolle's 

 own possession. As almost twenty years have elapsed since 

 the commencement of this herculean undertaking, the authen- 

 tic herbarium is of course much less rich in the earlier than 

 in the later orders. The Composite^, to which seven years of 

 unremitted labor have been devoted, form themselves an her- 

 barium of no inconsiderable size. It is unnecessary to enu- 

 merate the contributors to this collection (which indeed would 

 form an extended list), since the author, at least in later 

 volumes of the " Prodromus," carefully indicates, as fully as 

 the work permits, the sources whence his materials have been 

 derived. The paper employed is of an ordinary kind, some- 

 what smaller than the English size, perhaps fifteen inches by 

 ten ; and the specimens are attached to half sheets by loops 

 or slips of paper fastened by pins so that they may readily be 

 detached, if necessary, for particular examination. Several 

 specimens from different sources or localities, or exhibiting 

 the different varieties of a species, are retained when practi- 

 cable ; and each species has a separate cover, with a label 

 affixed to the corner, containing the name and a reference 

 to the volume and page of the " Prodromus " where it is de- 

 scribed. The limits of genera, sections, tribes, etc., are marked 

 by interposed sheets, with the name written on projecting 

 slips. The parcels which occupy each compartment of the 



