50 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



VII 



REPORT OF THE STATE BOTANIST 



Noteworthy contributions. The most important additions to 

 the state herbarium during the past year are contributions of 

 specimens from Prof. J. J. Davis, of Madison, Wis., the New 

 York Botanical Garden and Dr J. R. Weir of Missoula, Mont., 

 in addition to the collections made by members of the staff. 



Wild Flowers of New York. The season of 1916 was largely 

 spent in continuation of the field work necessary for the comple- 

 tion of the proposed memoir on the Wild Flowers of New York 

 State. This work was started early in August 191 5 and with the 

 appearance of the earliest spring flowers in April 1916, the work 

 was carried forward and completed late in September of the past 

 year. During the two months of 191 5 and the six months from 

 April 15 to September 15, 1916, there were photographed in the 

 field 364 species of plants which, because of their conspicuous 

 flowers or attractive appearance, might be classed under the rather 

 indefinite term of " wild flowers." 



The 364 illustrations will be in colors and grouped on about 264 

 plates, of which 161 plates will have each a single illustration and 

 the 103 remaining plates will contain two illustrations each. The 

 text will consist of a brief description of each species together with 

 its range and such other remarks concerning its habitat as seem 

 proper. 



By means of a specially constructed apparatus as shown in the 

 accompanying illustration each flower was photographed in 

 position as it grew, without any interference from wind 

 or excessive sunlight. For each subject there were taken one 

 or two (usually two) dry plate photographs and one lumiere 

 (autochrome) photograph. These were usually developed within 

 a few hours so that any serious faults might be corrected by taking 

 another exposure of the subject. 



It is proper to remark here that the success of these photo- 

 graphs is largely due to the skill, patience and enthusiasm, often 

 under disagreeable physical circumstances, shown by the two photo- 

 graphers employed: Mr Walter B. Starr of the Matthews- 

 Northrup Company, Buffalo, and Mr Harold H. Snyder of the 

 Zeese-Wilkinson Company, New York. 



