2 2o POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



justification of their acquisition, it is not at all improbable that the 

 passage of time will see their utilization to an even greater extent 

 by investigators not connected with the administration of the establish- 

 ment. Whatever it possesses is freely placed at the disposal of any 

 one capable of making good use of books or material, and while its 

 own staff, however developed, will always comprise but a small part 

 of the persons capable of making good scientific use of its treasures, 

 it is probable that a recognition will grow with the years, through at 

 least the entire central part of our country, that a visit to the garden 

 is not only possible and practicable, but almost a necessity for all of 

 the botanists outside of the few large universities, who desire to do 

 in its best form the work that lies in the line of their interest and 

 training. Much use has already been made of the garden by men 

 who would not have done their work so well without this help, and 

 much more use of it would doubtless be made were it not for the fact 

 that travel and residence in a city are found more expensive than 

 staying at home, when the isolated worker counts up the cost and con- 

 sults his limited income. It may be remarked, however, that the man 

 who counts cost too closely through life is often the man who sacrifices 

 future usefulness to present economy, and it may safely be said that 

 few lines of saving are less profitable in the long run than those 

 pursued at the expense of the equipment and wide acquaintance on 

 which professional and financial success usually rests. 



Prophecies are always of uncertain value and attended with danger 

 if the prophet seeks a reputation in that field: I shall hardly venture, 

 therefore, to say much about the detailed future of the garden. This 

 much, however, may be said with certainty, that its endowment appears 

 to be so ample and so well founded that, though growth and attainment 

 will be gradual and large immediate undertakings are not within its 

 power, its perpetuity as an important and growing center of study 

 and education are beyond question. The research work already in 

 progress in the garden under the control of the government is sug- 

 gestive of the continued attainment of better, and largter results 

 through cooperation with other establishments than would be possible 

 to either alone. That the grounds will be greatly enlarged, that a 

 supplementary garden of much larger size and more picturesque con- 

 formation will some day be opened at a distance from the smoke of 

 the city, which has already sounded the death knell of some of the 

 plants that were formerly cultivated with success in the present 

 garden which, under the provisions of Mr. Shaw's will is certain to 

 be maintained as the real center and home of the establishment what- 

 ever adjuncts it may have and that there will be erected in the near 

 future a system of large conservatories of modern construction, worthy 



