109 



for a private collection, and its richness in type specimens made 

 it one of the most valuable in America. 



Dr. Greene had become a Roman Catholic prior to his de- 

 parture from California. In 1894 the University of Notre 

 Dame conferred upon him an honorary doctorate, and in 1895 

 he entered upon his new duties at the Catholic University in 

 Washington. Here he found himself in an entirely new environ- 

 ment. In an institution largely devoted to theological instruc- 

 tion, there were few students in his department. Conditions 

 on the whole were uninspiring and unfavorable to scientific work. 

 He gave up his position in May, 1904, and from that time until 

 a short time before his death he was. connected with the United 

 States National Herbarium and the Department of Agriculture. 



During the period of his professorship at the Catholic Uni- 

 versity he continued his systematic and historical work with 

 unremitting perseverance, and published, in addition to numerous 

 miscellaneous papers, the last three volumes of Pittonia. He 

 began at once a new serial, ''Leaflets of Botanical Observation 

 and Criticism," of which two volumes were printed. A few 

 pages of the diary kept by him the summer after he left the 

 Catholic University are preserved among his papers, and give 

 a vivid picture of his activities at that time. The one or two 

 amusing touches might perhaps be more discretely omitted, but 

 to old friends and associates of Dr. Greene they are hardly cal- 

 culated to give offense. 



Diary. August, 1904. 



"August I. Ascertained again original of Eschscholtzia 

 Douglasii, and worked on the species, drawing up a new diagno- 

 sis, from Oregon and Washington specimens by Suksdorf and 

 Cusick. 



"From various notes made last week, began writing the 

 Neckerian Genera of Cactaceae. 



"At 3:30 p. m., found . . . struggling with an . . . from 

 Georgia, of which a fane printed plate and mounted specimens 

 were before him ; a plant with articulated hollow petioles at base 

 of stem, with no blade developed. He had been trying to make 



