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plied to the collectors, together with careful instructions for 
the collection and preparation of the specimens. 
Among the additions of the year, the following may be 
mentioned as of special importance. 
Further additions to our collection of aboriginal foods of 
North America. 
Accurately determined specimens of blackberries, con- 
tributed by Dr. Rydberg. 
Twenty-three native drug plants, collected by Dr. J. A. 
Shafer. 
A number of rare and new drugs representing importations 
of the year to this city. 
Thirty specimens obtained by Dr. J. A. Shafer in Mont- 
serrat. 
A very valuable and instructive set of fossil resins, con- 
tributed by Messrs. G. W. Patterson & Company, through 
Dr. Arthur Hollick. 
Reference may also be made to the collection of seeds of 
a number of important drugs and other products, which have 
been planted in our propagating house. 
For several years past it has been my wish to see intro- 
duced in some of our cases a new form of label, which should 
give a concise and simple descriptive account of the sets of 
material found therein, as for example, the India rubbers, 
the volatile oils, the resins, the sugars and starches, cork, 
chocolate, etc. The manuscript for a number of such de- 
scriptive labels was long ago prepared, but owing to the 
urgent requirements for printing in other departments, it has 
never been used. Recently, proofs of these labels have been 
received and approved by the Board of Scientific Directors, 
so that we may expect to see this interesting experiment put 
into operation during the coming year. 
I have on previous occasions called attention to the neces- 
sity of making provision for the purchase of specimens for 
the Economic Museum. The bulk of easily obtainable ma- 
terial has now been secured, and it is necessary, in order to 
fill gaps which become more conspicuous as the collections 
