JOURNAL - 
OF 
The New York Botanical Garden 
VoL. AUT January, 1912, : No. 145. 
rae dae 
COLLECTING FUNGI ON THE PACIFIC COAST. 
Dr. N. L. Britton, Drrecror-1n-CHIer. 
Sir: Following your instructions to explore the Pacific Coast 
at several points in search of the larger fungi, I left New York 
October 13, accompanied by Mrs. Murrill, and went first to 
Seattle, Washington, where we made our headquarters for two 
weeks, and later proceeded down the coast with the approach of 
wintry ‘weather. ; 
The only stop made on the way to Seattle was at Chicago, 
where I visited the Field Museum of Natural area) and 
delivered a public lecture on edible and poisonous fung’ 
From the car windows, a general idea of the reer features 
floral elements as new regions were entered. In Minnesota and 
North Dakota, immense fields of black prairie soil were becoming 
tinged with green by the sprouting wheat, and the last of the 
threshing was in progress. Trees were scarce, occurring in 
widely scattered groves consisting chiefly of oaks, birches, and, 
poplars. Crossing the Canadian boundary into Sadiichewan. 
similar conditions of soil prevailed, but. most. of the wheat was 
still in the shock, and trees were rarely seen. Beyond Moose 
Jaw, ‘much of the country is barren and hilly with scattered 
clumps of shrubs, resembling moorland, and is suitable only for 
grazing. All the lumber used throughout this region for building 
and railway purposes is. brought from the Canadian Rockies. 
Posts and telephone poles are made of western white cedar. 
On the morning of the fourth day from New York, the moun- 
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