Increase Allen Lapham. — Winchell. 7 
did not content himself with anything less than a comprehen- 
sive study and cataloguing of the grasses of North America. 
He approached this great enterprise through the bureau 
of Agriculture of the Patent Office, suggesting that the agri- 
culturists of the country would be greatly interested in a thor- 
ough investigation and final description of all the native 
Grramineae, not omitting those' naturalized. His suggestion 
was approved, an appropriation was made by Congress, Dr. 
Lapham was invited to Washington and entered upon the 
preliminary work under the direction of the Commissioner of 
Patents. He began a systematic collection, and at the same 
time a systematic series of drawings and studies. He was to 
collect seeds for distribution and experimental purposes, and 
to make a report that should include the botanical descrip- 
tion, geographical distribution, time of flowering, sowing and 
harvesting, in different latitudes: the culture, soil and cli- 
mate best adapted to each species, and all other facts relat- 
ing to its economic value. lie was also to conduct an expe- 
dition to the West Indies and South America for collecting 
improved varieties of sugar cane, for the use of the planters 
of Louisiana, a liberal appropriation having been made for 
that purpose. Considering the manifold ways in which the 
grasses of the country enter into the labor of the farming in- 
dustry, and the fundamental importance of agricultural labor 
and skill in the industrial economy of the country, it is diffi- 
cult to conceive of a more far-reaching measure for fostering 
and furthering the immediate good of the whole nation. After 
a personal expense of about a thousand dollars and a labor of 
several months, in preliminary arrangements, Dr. Lapham was 
informed by the higher authority residing in the [new] Sec- 
retary of the Interior, that his first bill of expense, including 
his first quarter's salary, could not be audited because his pol- 
itics was not in accord with the party in power. — in short. 
that his appointment was not approved. The expedition to 
South America departed without him. Ili> work was ignored 
and he was never remunerated. The matter was reviewed 
again just before the breaking out of tin- civil war, and 
the Agricultural Bureau gave it favorable consideration, but 
the national exigencies that soon absorbed all public al tent ion 
put a stop to its execution. Tin- enterprise therefore slum- 
