Report of the President 65 



assistance in the laboratory may be available during the 

 ensuing year. 



The Curator spent much of the summer in the study of an 

 epidemic of some 1,500 cases of a peculiar septic throat 

 disease which occurred in eastern Massachusetts during the 

 spring. The outbreak ultimately proved to be due to an 

 infected milk supply and presented features of somewhat 

 special interest. The account of it will shortly be published 

 in an appropriate journal as a contribution from the Depart- 

 ment of Public Health. Another investigation, almost com- 

 pleted, is an exhaustive study by Mr. I. J. Kligler of the 

 bacteriology of the dust of streets and buildings. 



WOODS AND FORESTRY 



Mary Cynthia Dickerson, Curator 



Department of Woods and Forestry. — The historical 

 value of the Jesup Collection of Woods is emphasized by the 

 continued destruction of American forests. Work has con- 

 tinued on the systematic arrangement of this collection to 

 bring out the natural classification of the trees in families 

 and genera, and to indicate geographical distribution and 

 economic value. Progress has been made in the descriptive 

 labeling and in the construction of fruit and flower models, 

 such as mountain ash (Sorbus americana var. decora Sarg. ), 

 catalpa (Catalpa catalpa Karst.), hackberry (Celtis occidentalis 

 L.), virgilia (Cladrastis lutea Koch), hawthorn (Crataegus 

 cordata Ait.), and holly {Ilex opaca Ait.), white pine (Pinus 

 strobus L.), lodge pole pine [Pinus contorta var. murrayana 

 Engelm.), Douglas spruce (Pseudotsuga mucronata Sudw.), 

 scrub pine (Pinus virginiana Mill.), and western yellow pine 

 {Pinus ponderosa Laws.). Acknowledgments must be made 

 to the New York Botanical Garden for courtesy in supplying 

 conifer sprays for preservation, to the Department of Parks 

 for catalpa, and to Mr. Webster Norris of Matteawan for 

 virgilia sprays for reproduction. Various drawings for the 

 collection are being made by Mrs. Sargent. 



The Big Tree sections, previously in the Darwin Hall, have 

 been given a place with the Jesup Collection; this is an 



