5^ The ]Vcsi American Scicn/isi. 



gentlemen chosen especially for their services in the cause of 

 science, and who therefore seem suitable for the position Tiie 

 number of Reg-ents shall not exceed twenty-five at one time. 



The general management and executive work of the Museum 

 will be in the hands of the Director, who shall be responsible 

 only to the Board of Regents, of which he shall be a member. 



THE MUSEUM STAFF. 



In addition to the officers and regents of the institution, there 

 are more than a score of young men ready to enter the service 

 of the Museum in any capacity, willing virtually to give their 

 time to work. These stand ready to enter the field in making 

 explorations and collections in any region we may designate as 

 soon as we can guarantee their nominal expenses. 



' It will not do to neglect nor slight these offers of services,' 

 writes a friend of the institution, 'so willing to work hard and 

 fare poorly, and with so good character and aims. These young 

 men seem raised up for our work, and ready to give good aid 

 from the start, and willing to do anything.' 



We hope to receive sufficient encouragement and financial aid 

 to very shortly avail ourselves of these offers of assistance and 

 service which we have received from men of ability and experi- 

 ence — some even of national renown. 



Further statements will be made in the near. A block of land 

 valued at $20,000.00 has been donated tor the site of the pro- 

 posed Museum. Other donations of land, money, books or 

 specimens will soon be in order. 



THE TEA ROSE CRAB. 



In 1862-3 this tree, Pyrus Malus Parkmanii, was received from 

 Japan, by the late Col. Francis L. Lee, and by him given to Dr. 

 Francis Parkman, in whose delightful garden it stands to-day. 

 It is about 12 feet high, and full as wide, and has an exceeding-ly 

 dense head of fine branches, resembling in its habit of growth a 

 fine thorn. It has a remarkable habit of flowering the whole 

 length of the past season's growth as well as from the older spurs, 

 and each bud produces regurlarly five blossoms. These are set 

 on stems three inches long, and so slender that they bend with 

 the weight of the bud or bloom, in a very graceful fashion. The 

 buds themselves are of a rich carmine color, and are in shape 

 exactly like a choice tea-rose bud, only more slender, while full 

 as long. They are almost precisely like, in color and form, the 

 new tea rose Pere Gontier, only not so large. This is a point of 

 great importance in looking for a perfect apple blossom, as all 

 others so far known, have the ends of the buds blunt and ill- 

 formed. The fully opened blossoms are semi-double and of a 

 lighter carmine color than the buds. The foliage is narrow, 

 wedge-shaped, very firm, and quite glossy, being curiously dis- 



