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"^'^ HISTORICAL SKETCH 



* T N the late autumn of 1899 Mr. Charles Z,. Pollard, one of 

 I Washmgton's enthusiastic botanists, while upon a 

 visit to Philadelphia accepted an invitation to spend 

 a day at a naturalists' camp which had recently been es- 

 tablished in a neighboring part of New Jersey. He was 

 thoroughl}^ impressed with the value to the working 

 biologist of such a base of operations, and on his return 

 to Washington outlined to several of his scientific friends 

 a scheme for a similar field camp in this vicinity. An 

 organization was effected early in 1900, under the name 

 of The Washington Biologists' Field Club, and committees 

 were appointed to draft b3''-laws and to investigate desir- 

 able localities. At a meeting held shortly after, at the 

 home of Mr. Pollard, the by-laws w^ere adopted ; Mr, 

 Pollard was elected President and Mr. Bdgar Brown 

 Secretary-Treasurer. The committee on site reported on 

 the merits of the several localities suggested by the 

 members, and it was decided to locate, if possible, in the 

 neighborhood of Upper Marlboro, Mar3dand, some twenty 

 miles southeast of Washington. A few days later the 

 members were called together again, and the President 

 stated that, in company with Mr. William Palmer, he had 

 visited Upper Marlboro and had found a small cottage 

 upon the Bonaparte property exactly suited to the needs 

 of the Club. It was decided forthwith to rent the house 

 and furnish it. An assessment of $5 per member was 

 made, netting a sum suflficient to pa3^ a year's rental 

 and to buy the necessary furniture and utensils. The 

 outfit, which was not extensive, included a small stove, 

 three plain tables, six chairs, six cots, a large hanging 

 lamp, two lanterns, a skillet, an ax, tin plates and cups, 

 and a set of knives, forks, and spoons. 



A year and a half was spent in this house, hardty a 

 week passing without several members making the trip 

 from Washington ; but the difficulties of access were too 

 great to make the expeditions thoroughly enjoyable, and 



