The Museum of Botany.

The last invoice of glass models of flowers was received in the late summer, but the arrangement in cases was not completed till very recently. On entering the right hand door of the Museum specimens illustrating the crowfoot family are met with on the right. Just beyond are the magnolias, poppies, and pitcher plants. Then on retracing one's steps after facing the other way, coming down the same aisle one meets plants of the orders next in succession. So that if one pursues a zigzag course, keeping the specimens on the right hand all the time, all orders of flowering plants are found in regular succession. The ferns and their allies fill the cases on the north wall.

If one passes into the adjoining room, specimens illustrating useful plants will be seen, arranged for the most part in definite order. The more important of these are the full illustrations of the chocolate plant, nutmeg, cloves, cotton, flax and tobacco. These occupy separate compartments in the newly constructed cases, and all are now specifically labelled. The next invoice of glass flowers is already on its way, and the specimens will probably be ready for exhibition by the middle of April.

Among the most interesting of the very recent additions to the Botanical Museum is a fine set of specimens of cordage obtained from the navy yard at Charlestown through the kindness of Lieutenant Pillsbury of the United States Navy. The most remarkable of these is a section of a twenty-six inch cable having the enormous strength of one hundred and twenty-eight tons.

A collection of tropical fruits obtained for the most part during the various expeditions under the auspices of the Agassiz Museum is now nearly arranged and ready for exhibition in the Economic room. One of the most attractive features of the present exhibit is a collection illustrating the narcotics and stimulants used by different races. Here are characteristic specimens of Kava, of the South Sea, Betel of India, Mate, or Paraguayan tea, Coca of Peru, Opium of Turkey, and so on.

Among the specimens illustrating the products of maize is a set of twenty-five large jars obtained through the kindness of Professor Sharples. Among the principal ones are starch, British gum, American gum, closely resembling gum arabic, certain sugars and caramels, corn oil, gluten meal, and the various cattle feeds. Near this are ears of corn illustrating the more important varieties of maize, from that of Mexico, in which each kernel is covered with a separate husk, to the very minute ears of the smallest popcorn. As opportunity offers, the other cereals are to be illustrated in the same way.