REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I916 5 I 



Each subject photographed was given a number in order to 

 facilitate its designation in subsequent correspondence, engraving 

 and arrangement in final order. Photographic proofs of the dry 

 plates were marked with directions for size of completed illustra- 

 tion and such other alterations as seemed desirable and duplicate 

 copies of such proofs were kept on file in the Botanist's office. 

 From retouched photographs approved by the Botanist, the engrav- 

 ing companies made their plates for engraving and these were 

 etched down with the autochrome positive as a color guide until 

 each of the four copper plates gave the proper register of color 

 when used upon the press in combination with one another, thai 

 is to say, blue, yellow, red and black. 



Scientific investigations. A rather limited amount of time 

 was devoted to the completion of a reconnaissance of the vegeta- 

 tion and its ecological relations about the eastern end of 

 Oneida lake, a region of extensive sandy barrens, swamps 

 and bogs in addition to the broad, sandy beach of the lake and the 

 numerous shallow waters of the lake shore and the streams 

 flowing into the lake, the home of numerous water-loving 

 plants. Because of soil conditions and a climate, influenced to 

 some extent by the Great Lakes, the region is characterized by a 

 large number of plants common to the northern coastal plain. The 

 results of this investigation appear in the Botanist's report. 



Exchanges. Duplicate specimens of fungi, ferns and flower- 

 ing plants have been exchanged for desirable material with the 

 New York Botanical Garden, the National Herbarium at Wash- 

 ington, Prof. J. Dearness of London, Canada; Dr J. R. Weir of 

 Missoula, Mont., and other institutions and individuals. 



Additions to the herbarium. The number of specimens of 

 New York State species which have been added to the herbarium 

 from current collections of the staff during the past year is 528, 

 from contributions 375, a total of 903 specimens. Of the total 

 number of specimens received, 131 were new to the herbarium 

 and 25 species are described as new to science. 



In addition, about 900 specimens of species extralimital to New 

 York, from the Sheldon herbarium, presented in 1914, representing 

 characteristic species of the eastern and southern flora, have been 

 remounted and incorporated into the herbarium. It is not the aim 

 of the state herbarium to represent to any great extent the flora 

 of regions beyond the State's border. The Sheldon herbarium, 

 however, contains over 13,000 specimens, representing nearly 



