COLONIAL HERBARIUM. 



During the year now ended the specimens in the herbarium 

 have increased from 24,268 at the close of 1899 to 26,040 of 

 which 17,347 are foreign, and 8,693 South Africau species, and 

 there are a number already in stock which will be mounted 

 and placed in the cabinets as soon as time can be spared for 

 the purpose. In addition to these, I have received advices of 

 parcels already in transit, and of promises of others to be sent. 

 The cabinets being inconveniently full, I have obtained four 

 new ones at cost of £11, and these are now fairly well filled. 

 In all there are are now 34 cabinets, and more will have to be 

 obtained before very long. I wish once more to call attention 

 to the fact that the whole of the property belonging to the 

 Herbarium is contained in a building of iron lined with wood, 

 and which is the property of the Botanic Society, and which is 

 urgently required for other purposes. In addition to the 

 liability of destruction by fire from various causes, not the least 

 of which is that the spirit lamp is in constant use when plants 

 are being dissected, the building is already much too small, the 

 cabinats, bookcase, &c, occupying so much space that there is 

 scarcely room for the workers. I have a number of carpologi- 

 cal specimens in bottles which have perforce to be packed away 

 out of sight, since there is no room for them on the shelves and 

 no place where more shelves can be put. The books belonging 

 to the library have increased considerably, the solitary book- 

 case is quite full, and there is not room for another one even if 

 we had it, quite a number of books require binding, but I can- 

 not have this done until we have more room for them, these 

 books are, therefore, inaccessible without considerable trouble 

 being taken to unearth them, occasioning much waste of time 

 and vexation of spirit. The building being of iron lined with 

 wood affords ample space between the wood and the iron for 

 cockroaches, silver moths, &c, which damage the specimens 

 and the paper on which they are mounted, and also the bind- 

 ing of the books. I had the room fumigated, but the improve- 

 ment was not at all apparent, a few of these noxious insects 

 were no doubt destroyed, but in a few weeks afterwards they 

 were as rampant as ever. It is much to be hoped that a larger, 

 better and safer building will soon be provided. 



