Exchange of Herbarium and Garden Specimens or Seeds of Native Plants

On account of the large number of specimens received during each year from correspondents in different parts of the Province, there are a number of duplicates which can be utilized for purposes of exchange and for helping other scientific institutions.

In the event of a representative herbarium being desired in Victoria for the convenience of workers in Vancouver Island, many of the above duplicates can be spared for this purpose. It is intended that many of the existing gaps in the present Victoria collection will be filled from this source.

Requests are occasionally received from scientific institutions desiring specimens of British Columbia plants, particularly from newly explored regions. It is intended as far as possible to send duplicates in response to these requests.

Similarly, with regard to live plants or seeds for botanical garden purposes, native species are being propagated in the Botanical Garden at Essondale, and some of these may be used to encourage the establishment of other botanical gardens in the Province, or to supplement the collections in other botanical gardens out of the Province.

Fruits and seeds are collected each year, and it is hoped that this Department will soon be in a position to reciprocate with other botanical institutions by issuing a list of seeds for exchange.