Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-11-20
THE FROST HERBARIUM,
THE RARE COLLECTION AS SEEN
BY EXPERT EYES,
and Tribute Paid to MI. Frost's Zeal
Industry and Scientific Attainment.

as the limits OF a vacation allowed, par
tiallv arranging the herbarium of the late
e.. &. Frost, it occurs to me that a brief ac-
count of the collection may interest your
readers
The labors of Mr.. Frost covered CON
siderable period, and the varied reiquiU
rrowding his attic room included represent
ativcs of several orders and tribes of the
vegetable kingdom, together with a large
assortment of unnamed specimens pertain
inc to the departments of mineralogy and
conchoogy, even the fauna of his region
being occasionally illustrated by stray liz
ards and the like, ruthlessly embalmed.
Diverse as appear to have been Mr.. Frost's
studies. however, cryptogamic botany un-
douhtedly held the strongest claim upon
hi, Investigations. and in this field, diff
cult as it is, he became more widely
known. His collections of fungi are eX-
tcnsive and bear internal evidence of orig
nal thought and exploration. When COM
pared, il is true, with the more recent la
bors of mycologists-as, for instance, the
exhaustive work of Saccardo-these col
lections seem but an inadequate portion of
nearly 10000 known fungi but it should
he borne in mind that Mr.. Frost's early es
saws began well-nigh half a century ago,
country enlisted scanty attention, and the
researches of the present day were but inn
perfectly foreshadowed. In the final ar
rangement of his herbarium it will doubt
less be found that his studies of fungi en-
braced wider scope than appears from
cursory survey. Meanwhile the letters of
those whose attachments in the science
compel Difference, amply attest the collect
..,',5 IL far IN ir1Na dot hn 20
mark of one bewildered Philistine that
"Charles Frost might find sunthin' better
to do than pressin' tudstools.'
The collection of lichens, to which the
writer devoted particular attention, is both
interesting and valuable, not only because
of the original mementoes of Mr.. Frost's in
dustry. but, perhaps, still more, on account
of the large number of specimens from au-
thentic herbaria supplied mainly by Tuck
erman, Russell and Eaton, and bearing up
on their tickets the illustrious names of
AMI Massalongo, Greville, TIL Fries,
Hooker. Darlington, Ravenel and others,
masters of the science, to whose researches
the student of Technology is permanently
indebted. The kindly and characteristic
courtesy of the late Prof. Edward Tucker
man, an honor to which this herbarium
bears constant witness, must have aided
Mr. Frost materially in his early studies,
and the friendship springing from their
mutual sympathies in the quest of scien-
tfic truth appears to have suffered no di-
mnution with the lapse of years. One
other name is closely identified with the in
vestigations of this period, that of Rev.
John Lewis Russell, an indefatigabe work
er in the field of cryptogamy, whose CORE
spondence with Mr.. Frost reveals the sim
cerity of the bond existing between them.
OF the high opinion of Mr. Frost's service
to lichenology entertained by Prof. Tuck
erman it is enough to say that the latter
named for him plant, PyXine Frostii,
first found in fruit by Mr.. Frost, and it is
of interest to know that the identical spec
linen, bearing fruit, sent TO Tuckerman and
returned by him, now exists in this herba-
rum at BrattlebOro. One is tempted to
cite other rare and curious features OF this
collection, of which the world at large may
take little note but which shall one day de
light the observer of these lowly plants and
lead him to venerate the heart and brain
that sheltered them.
As with fungi and lichens, so in the de
partment of musci Mr.. Frosts untirina
zeal is manifest A note in one of Sulli
wants letters pays handsome tribute to his
theological acumen, and the varied collec
tions remaining, including almost all the
known MOSES of Vermont, form prec
ious complement to the wealth of other de
partments here represented. 1t is source
of congratulation that these reliquip o
your departed townsman have final!
reached a depository worthy of their re
qurements, the provision made by the Nat
ural History society being wholly in keep
ing with their value.
Many plants remain to be classified ant
reirranged in accordance with the advance
ment of cryptogamic science. The flung
will require careful revision to correct OBJ
solete nomenclature and synonym, and
although the lichens already arranged up
on the shelves prepared for them numbe
close upon 800 specimens representing u
genera. many saXicoline species still avail
inspection and mounting for the herba
rum. Under the intelligent auspices o
those to whose custodianship the collection
has been wisely committed, there need b,
no misgiving as to the safety and perpetul
ty of this memorial charge.
1t is not presumption to aver that man,
reyerent scholar in days to come vii
pause beside the fruit of so much toll, and
knowing the circumstances attending MI
Frost's achievement, recognize anew tn
truth that out of humble haunts natur
often leads her votaries and bids them re
ioice and be glad in the presence of her per
ennial loneliness. Possibly had Mr.. Frost
unwearied exertiOns been more cOncentrat
ed, had he Stunned the wider range recog
nizing his limitations, as others have done
devoting his entire attention to specla
study, his fame might be greater and NOR
enduring than is permissible in view OF
performance as diffuse as 1t was earnes
and sincere. The vistas of enchantmen
opened to him by the light of knowledge sud
denly and strangely revealed were too allul
ing to suffer repose or circumscription in hi
ardent pursuit of philosophical truth. Ha
hepaused by the way, perchance somethin
of that unbounded energy had been lost I
us, and doubtless the quiet ecstacy VII
which he surveyed the Omntum gdtherm
comprised in that attic chamber filled hi
mind with zest as keen and inspiring
any triumph accorded to genius. What
picture is that of him throned on cobbler
bench, delving into occult mazes of science
pegging away-but not as his neighbol
fancied-then bursting the bonds of trad
to wander forth and render unto natuI
heartfelt recompense for the favors she Ina
layished upon him in the elixir of mountal
air and the tender sOlicitude she rejoices
bestow, prolonging for her sake his simple
unpretending days, s. II.
Boston, November, 1891.
How 90 Choose Your Newspapers.
The Rutland Weekly Herald which is just no
claiming tho apacfaI aftantiOn of readers in