2IO 



POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



the embellishment of the houses that are open to the public, makes 

 possible increased beauty of the latter. 



Vegetable gardening is not ordinarily attractive, and a truck 

 garden is usually associated with compost piles, bad smells, and dis- 

 order. It is not necessary for this to be true, however, and the little 

 vegetable garden connected with Shaw's Garden is not only not 

 unsightly in itself, but it has from year to year afforded the means of 

 cultivating in the fullest variety a number of kinds of vegetables. Here, 

 for instance, were grown for several seasons all procurable varieties 



and spontaneous species of 

 chiles, and the monograph on 

 Capsicum which the horticul- 

 turist of the establishment 

 published as a result of the 

 studies that he was thus en- 

 abled to make, takes rank as 

 of value alike to botanists and 

 gardeners. Here, too, have 

 been grown, year after year, 

 the chief varieties of beans that 

 the world's markets afford, 

 and on the plants so cultivated 

 lias been based another and 

 equally useful monograph, by 

 the same gentlemnn. Mr. Irish. 

 Though not classed as vege- 

 tables, sweet peas in all pro- 

 curable sorts have been grown 

 for like purposes of study in 

 this enclosure, its seclusion 

 affording needed protection 

 of the plants while under 

 observation ; the thesis of 

 one of the garden pupils, 

 Mr. * Eudolph Mohr, on this 

 group of decorative plants, is of more than passing interest. 



It is the lot of all living and growing institutions which give prom- 

 ise of prolonged existence, to have gifts of greater or less magnitude 

 made to them. The Missouri Botanical Garden has not proved an 

 exception to this rule. Even before the death of its founder, Dr. 

 George J. Engelmann placed in the hands of the present director of the 

 garden the invaluable herbarium of his father, the late Dr. George 

 Eno-clmann. and shortly after the organization of the board of trustees 



The New Orchid. 



