New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-18
THE JESUP COLLECTION.
ALL THE WOODS OF THE UNITED STATES
FORMAL OPENING TO-DAY AT THE MUSEUM or NAT
URAL HISTORY-MhAT NAY BE SEEN.


URAL BISToRY-wHAT MAY BIZ SEEN.
The visitors at the formal opening of the
Morris K Jesup Collection to-day, at the American
Museum OF Natural History, will be impressed first OF
oil by the richness Of American forests in arborescent
growth. 1t is well known that 4l2 well-marked tree
species have been detected and described in The Census
Forestry Report, OF which only eightyye species occur
the whole Continent of Europe; but after ALL tho
number and variety Of these forms first fully appre
cated when they are seen together, arranged accord
ing to their botanical aflinites, that the
whole list can be examined in order from
the magnOias to the palms and yuccas. Observing
the size of these specimens, which are meant to be
trunk sections representing average dimensions Of
the Species and remembering the distances from which
many OF them have been brought and the almost mac
cessble location which others found, and noting
the labor of seasoning and dressing them so as to give
fair view of polished longitudinal, and beveed
sections, readily understand why, after four
of labor by busy hands, the collection s not
yet complete,
OF the 4l2 species Tor. rather OF the 413 because
spruce has discovered since the Census list
was made), $50 are now on exhibition. Some OF tho
missing ones like the Picea Brewerana, just mem
toned which ourishes close up to tho timber line OF
the siskiyou Mountains, are rare and local Another
of this class Lyas arch which rediscOyered two
years ago Mt Stewart in Washington Territory. Mr.
Brandegee who detached it after long search has
gone after it, and doubt the patience OF several pack
five feet long and two feet diameter is brought down
and out TO roads and civilized conveyances The
Cypress Macnabans in Lake County, Cal. Abies brac-
teata high up the hanks OF the Santa Lucia
range and prunus sphaerocarpa the shores OF Bay
Biscayne may also be named among the species hard
find and collect Some OF the timber trees,
too, not yet in their places. White pine
and hemlock, slippery elm and sugar maple,
western catapa and boX-elder, are yet missing
because OF imperfectiOn in the original
specimen. One tree not represented here-GOrdonia
pubeSccnS-will probably never DO found in It's native
forest william Bartram introduced II into cultivation
In the last century from the woods OF Georgia aud Is
still to be obtained In private plan
tatons but lynxeyed boansts have now been securing
the forests for and have yet caught sight
wild specimen 1t is probably extinct other species
will be. The chittam-w OF Alabama, for exam
pie is now nearly extermuated.
hardly worth while to call attention to individual
specimens for either bark texture tint there is
something of interest in every No will fail TO
the rich coOrs OF the Western yew, and the red
stopper OF semttropca Florida or the beautiful grain
OF Lawsons cypress aud Engemanas spruce, which RI
walls many the hard woods in texture the bark Of
the Western arch and yellow pine pOHdrOSdl. The al
eoves where the hckorys and oaks placed at
tractive. Many OF oaks, like DurdadG, retcuatd,
Qrisca ObORgdlid and Emory have never before been
collected and it may be said that there nothing in tho
world to compare with the whole display In complete
and in the representative character OF the specE
mems.
Besides these representative specimens there are oc-
casonal pieces show unusual growth. like tne
plank Oregon maple and OF the ulptree, bothof
which are sihgularly "curled." The complete
collection will contain planks "burls" " OF all
the larger species, aud those already mounted
form an instructive feature OF the exhibit. Professor
Sargents census studies have enabled him TO prepare
labels which add materially to the value OF the eoec-
ton cOlOred section neat map shows at glance
the geographical OF the species while ITS might
elasticity strength aud ability to resist compressure III
t,Vc pfiOnS nrn
The dried foliage and flowers, or which there IS COM
plete collections made by c. L. FaxOn, OF tho Arnold
Arboretum are fragile forpublic exposure but tho
herbarium accessible TO students who are making
critical OF native trees Visitors IN gem
eral however, will prefer the remarkable series or
water colors which eighty effectively placed
on large easels between the Each one OF these
represents branch OF given species bearing leaves
and flowers OF natural size and another with
the matured fruit OF the tree. 1hey are
the work Mrs. Sargent, and while they are Dotanl.
cay accurate, effective grouping, strong drawing ana
delicate cOOring give them high artistic value The
difficulty OF Obtaining spray OF all these Wildly separated
species blossOming time anG in suitable condon
is extremely great but Mrs. Sargent hopes t0 complete
the illustration of the entire sylvia OF the country win
her own hand When to these added photographs or
representative roes OF every speces-and this eonte-
plated in Mr. Jeseps comprehensive pan little VIII DC
needed to make the collection absolutely complete.
The woods are arranged the lower ho0r OF the
Museum in space between the rows or side cases.
The place for this and the floor has
a cuttered appearance which those who recall its orig-
nal spaciousness aud light will Plainly the tDe
has come when a wing for the Museum sdemanded,
that this collection, in Its scientific and ipus-
trial Importance shall have the sweep OF an entire hoo