Vol. VIII] EVERMANN— DIRECTOR'S REPORT FOR 1918 331 



has not destroyed the native flora. These out-of-doors excursions can be 

 held all winter and are not only more instructive than lectures or books, 

 but more enjoyable. A weekly class of the gardeners of Golden Gate 

 Park is also conducted in the evening at the herbarium so as to enable 

 these men to have correct knowledge of the plants under their care. They 

 bring in specimens which are useful in the Museum flower show. This 

 exhibition of the native and exotic plants blooming throughout the year 

 out-of-doors in San Francisco and around the Bay has been one of the 

 most popular of the educational influences of the Academy and is greatly 

 appreciated by the flower-loving public. Without the faithful care of Mrs. 

 Johanna Wilkens, who has kept the water replenished, the shelves clean 

 and the dead flowers removed, it would be impossible to keep up this ex- 

 hibition in a satisfactory manner. Each species is labelled with scientific 

 and common name and native country. 



The framed pictures of edible and poisonous mushrooms in the little 

 room off the vestibule have lured the lovers of mushrooms to the herbarium 

 to discover the good or bad qualities of many that are common chiefly in 

 the Park. On account of the lack of literature it has not been possible to 

 answer all these inquiries. A collection of wax models, correctly colored 

 and named would be a valuable addition to the Museum and I would like 

 to suggest that a beginning be made during the ensuing year. A complete 

 collection would have to be the work of many years and it would be neces- 

 sary to send those that are unknown to authorities for correct nammg. 



At last, Mr. McLaren, the superintendent of the Park, has begun the 

 planting of the court back of the Museum with trees and shrubs common 

 in the Park but arranged, when possible, in the scientific sequence of 

 families, so that it will be a botanical garden of a new kind and instructive 

 as showing the evolution from the lower to the higher orders. 



The plot of ground which faces the court is soon to be planted with trees 

 and shrubs of the Bible and a small plot of ground has been reserved for 

 the plants mentioned in Shakespeare's plays. These groups of plants will 

 be of great interest to many people. However, without labels they will have 

 no educational value and I would like to suggest that the Academy purchase 

 a labelling machine so as to permanently label these plants as well as mak- 

 ing a beginning towards labelling the trees and shrubs throughout the Park. 

 The curator had a leave of absence in May and June and was away six 

 weeks Part of the time was spent in collecting and collections were made 

 at Portola and Loyalton in California, and in Buena Vista, Leadville, Glen- 

 wood Springs, Grand Junction in Colorado, at Thompsons Springs, Soldiers 

 Summit Thistle and Salt Lake in Utah. Earlier in the year a trip was 

 made to Downieville, also to Tres Pinos and San Benito, to study the 

 wUows. Professor C. S. Sargent paid the railroad fare on these short 

 trips. The expenses of the trip to Colorado were paid by the curator. 



As new specimens have come in, they have been mounted, and much back 

 work that had to be left undone has been completed, so that we are now 

 about caught up and shall begin the new year of the Academy with the 

 collections that have come in recently but are not yet incorporated into the 

 herbarium. 



