139 
Dr. M. A. Howe, assistant curator, returned from Porto Rico 
on July 12. Asa result of several weeks’ work on that island 
a large collection of marine algae was secured, which embraces 
over goo numbers. 
Mr. John Shafer, custodian in botany in the Carnegie Museum 
of Pittsburg, spent the latter part of July and the first week in 
August in the herbarium in study upon the collection made by 
himself and Dr. Britton in Cuba in March of this year. 
Prof. C. V. Piper, of the Washington Agricultural College, at 
Pullman, Wash., made an extended visit to the Garden during 
July for the purpose of consulting the type of species from north- 
western United States in the herbarium. 
Letters received from Dr. Arthur Hollick, who is at present 
carrying out some palaeobotanical investigations in Alaska for 
e U. S. Geological Survey, convey the information that he has 
accomplished 600 miles of the proposed trip down the Yukon 
river in a canoe and that valuable collections were being accu- 
mulated. During a portion of the journey continuous daylight 
was encountered, the sun setting at 11 P.M., and rising at 1 
A. M., the hypothetical night being as light as an ordinary day. 
Dr. Hollick is expected to return to the Garden in September. 
Dr. D. T. MacDougal, Director of the Laboratories, was ab- 
sent from the Garden from July 2 to the 29th on a trip to Ja- 
maica. A general inspection was made of the public gardens 
and plantations of the island with especial reference to the 
nature of the facilities for botanical investigations of all kinds 
afforded by the buildings and grounds recently offered for rental 
at Cinchona by the government. Some important material was 
secured for the museums and an arrangement was made with the 
Hon. Wm. Fawcett, Director of the Public Gardens and Planta- 
tions, for securing a large amount of duplicate herbarium material 
for the Garden. Dr. MacDougal was accompanied on the trip 
by his wife and daughter. 
The total precipitation in the Garden during July, 1903, 
amounted to 5.34 inches. Maximum temperatures of 92° on 
