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done in the East Indies, in the cultivation of rubber plants 
and the preparation of rubber. 
A full collection of maple sugars and maple syrups has 
been presented by the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Market, 
of Randolph, Vermont. 
Messrs. Dodge & Olcott have added to their valuable dona- 
tion of vanillas a set of Tonka beans and other coumarin- 
yielding drugs, and of natural and artificial coumarins. 
Professor Roberts, of the Manhattan Agricultural College, 
Kansas, has donated a number of varieties of maize. 
A valuable set of logwoods has been donated by Mr. B.C. 
Gruenberg illustrating his investigations of so-called ‘‘ Bastard 
Logwoods.” 
Present inspection of the cases shows that the enlarged ac- 
commodations, though not crowded, and capable of providing 
for current growth for some time to come, are well enough 
stocked to present a very creditable appearance. They do 
not yet, however, present the attractiveness to the general 
public that is desirable. A visitor knowing something of a 
special subject, and coming for the purpose of gaining ad- 
ditional information from the study of our collections, finds 
much useful material; but the casual visitor, looking into one 
of our cases at a series of specimens of which he has no pre- 
vious knowledge, finds our exhibits in many cases more or 
less unintelligible. This situation should be improved in the 
interest of the educational character as well as of the general 
attractiveness of the Museum. Two simple methods for ac- 
complishing this result are available. One is the use, in suit- 
able instances, of explanatory labels, when a small amount of 
text will serve the purpose of explanation. This method will 
be employed during the coming year. 
A more efficient, though far more troublesome and expen- 
sive method, is the distribution to interested visitors of 
tracts or circulars of information relating to the exhibits. 
Suitable subjects for this method of treatment are, for ex- 
ample, Chocolate and its Production; Camphor, its Collec- 
tion, Manufacture and Commerce; the Preparation and Uses 
