STATE GEOLOGIST 37 



During the year 1859 no special attention was devoted to 

 the Botany of the State, for the reason that the flora of the dis- 

 tricts then under survey was already pretty well understood. 

 All species before unobserved, all peculiarities, and some local 

 floras were, however, noted. In the explorations of the present 

 season, it was deemed desirable to attach a special botanical 

 assistant to the party. Combining the observations made 

 during the past two seasons, with notes kept by myself for 

 several years past, I am able to present, with the aid of the 

 University Herbarium, and Wright's Catalogue, heretofore pub- 

 lished, a pretty complete list of the indigenous plants of the 

 Lower Peninsula. It has not been deemed advisable to attempt 

 to catalogue the plants of the Upper Peninsula, as the list 

 would necessarily be defective, and it is hoped that the oppor- 

 tunity will be presented for completing it, next season. For 

 local information respecting many of our plants, I am indebted 

 to Miss Mary Clark, of Ann Arbor. 



For information respecting the progress and state of the 

 zoological survey, I would refer you to the Report of the State 

 Zoologist. 



The question is often asked when the survey will be comple- 

 ted. It is obvious that, the answer to this question will depend 

 entirely upon the action of the Legislature, in providing for a 

 more or less thorough execution of the work ; and upon the 

 number of persons kept in the field. A continuance ef the same 

 provisions which have been made for the past two years, would 

 enable us to extend the survey over the whole territory of the 

 State, in the manner in which it has been commenced, and to 

 furnish the final report ready for publication in three years more. 

 It would be much better, however, to increase the number of sur- 

 veying parties somewhat, with the view of effecting a more de- 

 tailed examination of the unsettled portions of the State, as 

 well as the districts which lie along the probable outcrops of 

 those formations whidh possess considerable economical impor- 

 tance. It will not be necessary to multiply the zoological obser- 

 vations te the same extent as the geological. It is not nee- 



