REPORT OF NATIONAL, MUSEUM, 1924 57 



plants from Mexico and Central America in connection with identi- 

 fying recent large collections from Guatemala and Salvador. Doctor 

 Rose has practically finished his study of the Cactaceae but has con- 

 tinued his study of the American species of Caesalpiniaceae in co- 

 operation with Dr. 1ST. L. Britton. Mr. Killip has identified a large 

 number of flowering plants recently received from the Andes of 

 South America. Mr. Leonard, in continuation of his study of the 

 flora of Hispaniola, has reviewed the herbarium material of West 

 Indian phanerogams in general, and has identified many specimens 

 hitherto unnamed. Dr. A. S. Hitchcock and Mrs. Agnes Chase have 

 continued their studies of American grasses. The critical work of 

 Dr. S. F. Blake and Dr. C. V. Piper, of the Bureau of Plant Industry 

 staff, upon special groups, has been mentioned elsewhere. The recent 

 plan of mounting a part of the specimens with glue and reenforcing 

 them by adhesive plaster has worked well, about 14,000 specimens 

 having been mounted during the year in this way. In addition, 

 15,750 specimens have been mounted wholly by plaster, 12,155 speci- 

 mens of this number having been mounted by contract. There re- 

 main unmounted not less than 35,000 specimens, not including about 

 15,000 specimens that have been glued but not strapped. Under the 

 condition obtaining, preference in mounting has been given to ma- 

 terial urgently needed in current studies of tropical American 

 botany, and great care has been exercised in eliminating as "dupli- 

 cates" all but the most desirable specimens. In pursuing this course 

 there is recognized the danger of sacrificing material, especially 

 specimens of numbered sets, that would prove of utility in provid- 

 ing suites indicating geographic distribution, breadth of variation, 

 and possibly undescribed species ; yet, the inability to keep abreast in 

 mounting and the lack of space for additional cases both for storage 

 and for the study series have permitted no alternative course. 



Supplementing the complete distribution of mounted specimens 

 into the herbarium last year, there are being incorporated at present 

 about 14,000 specimens, chiefly South American, this material being 

 especially necessary in current work. An equal number of mounted 

 specimens from other regions are held for incorporation at a later 

 time. Not only are the specimens crowded in the herbarium cases at 

 present, but there is also extreme congestion of cases, the aisles be- 

 ing greatly narrowed by having to contain a complete double row 

 of cases. These features are in fact a very serious obstacle not only 

 to the present usefulness of the herbarium, but also to its proper 

 development as a repository for material required in many branches 

 of study by an ever-increasing number of investigators. Under 

 present conditions of crowding the special importance of segregating 

 type material will be recognized. This work has continued, in so far 



