A STUDY OF THE AGAVES OF THE UNITED STATES.* 
Jacobi,t Koch,$ Terraciano,§ and Baker|l in their works 
upon the genus Agave have all given attention to forms 
occurring within our territory. Dr. John Torrev made a 
good studylT of those collected in connection with the 
Survey of the United States and Mexican Boundary under 
Lieutenant Emory. But Dr. Engelmann's ** able paper 
still remains the only monograph specially devoted to our 
species, and is still the most complete and best authority 
and drawings relating to the genus, it forms one of the many 
monuments of his skill and patient industry. 
During the years that have intervened since 1875, our 
southwestern territory has been more extensively explored 
and is much better known. It was hoped that a further study 
of this genus might add to our knowledge of its species, and of 
their distribution. No place could be more appropriate for 
such a work than the Missouri Botanical Garden. In its 
large succulent house the collection of our own and foreign 
:arl Koch, Agavceu Stuflien. 1 
chille Terraciano, Primo Con 
11 J. G. Baker, Handbook of the Am 
** Transactions of Academy of Scit 
ngelmann. Collected for Hersry Shaw 
