(76) 
become more complete, to arrange for the purchase of speci- 
mens which cannot readily be obtained in other ways. 
I now offer the following suggestion for a plan, the execu- 
tion of which would be of exceptional value to this depart- 
ment. By the coéperation of our Garden with a number of 
other similar institutions, it would be possible to place a col- 
lector in each of a number of districts into which the terri- 
tory of the United States might be divided, and the greater 
portion of our native economic plant material could be col- 
lected in a single season. Each collector could procure a 
sufficient number of sets to supply one to each of the institu- 
tions thus codperating, and a perfectly authentic representa- 
tion of our economic flora could thus be placed on exhibition 
at a number of the more important centers of population 
throughout the country. The plan has been informally men- 
tioned to the Director of the American Museum of Natural 
History and of the Field Museum, of Chicago, both of whom 
heartily approved of the suggestion. I believe that an ap- 
propriation of $1,000 from ten such institutions would be 
sufficient to accomplish this work. 
Respectfully submitted, 
H. H. Russy, 
flonorary Curator of the Economic Collections. 
