Oct.  1897. 
Annual  Report  of  the  Director. 
works,  to  the  transportation  agents  and  the  lumber  dealer,  and 
although  the  specimens  gathered  require  considerable  time  in  their 
preparation,  several  of  the  monographs  are  now  _  so  nearly  com- 
plete as  to  allow  the  beginning  of  installation,  and  a  detailed 
description  of  elements  entering  into  the  exposition  of  each  species 
will  not  be  out  of  place.  To  the  expert  in  lumber  it  is  absolutely 
essential  that  a  series  of  authentic  specimens  be  procured  that, 
when  compared  with  a  given  sample,  will  leave  no  doubt  in  the  mind 
of  an  individual  or  a  jury  as  to  the  accuracy  of  any  identification 
that  may  be  made,  Such  a  series  of  specimens  has  not  as  yet  been 
collated  in  the  United  States.  The  first  element  in  these  mono- 
graphs is  intended  to  furnish  such  authentic  specimens,  and  consists 
of  a  branch  of  the  species  in  full  and  typical  leaf,  associated  with  a 
block  of  wood  cut  from  the  identical  tree  from  which  the  branch  was 
gathered.  With  this  branch  and  block  is  placed  both  flowers  and 
fruit  for  the  further  indentification  and  elucidation  of  the  species. 
While  this  part  of  the  collection  is  being  made,  several  other  trees  in 
the  locality,  that  compare  exactly  with  all  the  botanical  characters  of 
this  particular  individual,  are  blazed  for  felling  in  the  winter  after 
recedence  of  the  sap.  to  contribute  to  Element  III  and  IV  of  the 
monograph.  A  feature  that  adds  beauty,  interest  and  value  to  such 
a  collection  consists  of  enlarged  photographs  of  a  type  of  a  species, 
both  in  its  foliaged  condition  of  summer  time  and  its  characteristic 
form  in  winter  when  denuded,  at  which  time  its  value  as  a  timber 
tree  is  greatest.  To  this  end  two  visits  with  a  camera  are  required, 
and  the  location  of  the  instrument  and  hour  of  the  day  noted,  in 
order  that  the  portraits  may  exactly  correspond.  These  negatives 
are  then  enlarged  three  diameters  to  agree  with  Element  I.  The 
character  of  the  trunk  and  bark  of  the  species  plays  an  important 
part,  not  only  in  a  timber  inspector's  work  but  also  in  the  student's 
consideration  of  the  tree.  Trunks  of  sufficient  size  to  maintain 
character  are  therefore  marked  during  the  gathering  of  the  first  Ele- 
ment, and  felled  the  following  winter,  great  care'and  patience  being 
expended  upon  the  work  in  order  that  these  large  and  heavy 
objects  may  reach  the  Museum  with  as  little  injury  to  the  bark  as 
possible.  These  trunks  are  selected  one-half  the  average  size  attained 
by  the  tree  at  its  full  growth.  The  ratio  between  all  species  is  thus 
maintained,  and  size  comparisons  may  be  readily  drawn  by  the 
observer  throughout  the  collection.  With  the  trunk  is  exhibited  a 
••  wheel  "  or  transverse  section  of  the  same,  showing  the  character  of 
growth  of  the  species  and  the  comparative  thickness  of  the  bark, 
sap-wood  and  heart.     At  the  right  of  each  monograph  is  placed  a 
