86 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. [ April, 
Adjoining rooms are occupied by the Section of Plant Pathology, 
under the care of Prof. Scribner. We found various diseased and injured 
parts of plants lying about, awaiting study. This work having but 
recently been begun the library and collections are small, but they are 
well selected and thoroughly indexed. The microscopic and other appli- 
ances show an appreciation of good tools. This room and the one on the 
floor above, occupied by the assistant, Mr. Erwin Smith, also of Michigan, 
have but lately become available for this use, being formerly occupied by 
the statistician, who now has rooms in the new seed building not far dis- 
tant. Mr. Smith was working on diseases of potatoes, and other matters, 
carrying on cultures and making microscopic examinations. 
n the upper floor are also the rooms belonging to the Bureau of 
Animal Industry; the one for the culture of bacteria, presided over by 
Dr. Theobald Smith may properly be considered to be partially botanical. 
There were the various appliances for thorough bacteriological work, 
and yet the rooms and furnishings are by no means as good as the impor- 
tance of the subject should warrant. It is fortunate that pine tables and ] 
battened doors do not detract from the accuracy of scientific results 
secured in their presence. ) 
In a broad gallery of the National Museum is another botanical quar- 
ter. There is a large herbarium here also, including American and for- 
eign plants arranged in a single series, put up in a similar way to those 
at the Agricultural Department. But the chief interest lies in the work — 
on fossil plants. Several workers are engaged under Prof. Ward in 
to future workers. Series of specimens which are being studied are 
arranged in drawers, These are carefully selected, and then passed into 
‘the hands of assistants, who make drawings of them, working out with 
much patience every detail of the structure which the rock can be made 
to furnish. The weight of the specimens and the indistinctness of the 
impress'ons make the drawings desirable for comparison and study, 
while the specimens are always at hand for verifying doubtful points 
Proofs of the plates to be used in the volume on the Types of the Laramie 
Flora, which is now in press, showed fine work, and some interesting me 
features in photogravure, 
served, the drawings appearing as if taken from living plants. The preP” 
aration of the sections for study is not difficult, but consumes time; how 
