670 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



enlarged, that it now seems probable that five or six years' time 

 will see illustrated by this collection all the great types of plant 

 life throughout the world, all except eight of these types being 

 represented among the plants native to North or South America. 

 Already more than one hundred orders are represented, and here 

 it must be clearly understood that no attempt has been made to 

 show every species of plant. This would indeed be an impossi- 

 bility ! Not more than six or seven species of an order are given, 

 but the collection thus illustrates a large proportion of the gen- 

 era. Certain tablets, prepared for demonstration, exhibit a larger 

 number of details than others ; sometimes several species of a 

 genus are shown, in order to emphasize the more or less strongly 

 marked variation of certain characteristics, but in general the aim 

 has been to show the typical species of different genera. 



The three exhibition rooms are so arranged as to illustrate 

 plant life in all its relations, from a biological point of view. The 

 models are displayed in admirably constructed cases of plate glass 

 and bear labels giving the names of the plants as well as other 

 details in regard to them, thus offering every opportunity for 

 study. The first room or hall, which one enters from the stair- 

 case, is intended to show plants in the following relations : 



1. In relation to soil, water, air, heat, light, electricity, and 

 gravitation. 



2. In relation to insects and other animals by which plants 

 are benefited. 



3. In relation to insects and other animals by which plants 

 are injured. 



4. The relation of plants of the past to plants of the present 

 time. 



Here are also seen the plants used as forage. 



The room on the left of this hall represents the Department 

 of Economic Botany, Here we find illustrated plants in their 

 relation to man i. e., the plants used for shelter, clothing, and 

 food ; then those used for drugs, dyes, etc. ; and here also are the 

 plants of historic interest. 



In the third and largest room the lower floor is devoted to 

 flowering plants (by far the greater proportion of the collection), 

 while the balcony contains the illustrations of cryptogams. In 

 regard to the quality of the work, it is hardly possible to speak 

 too highly. The mastery of color alone is marvelous, but when 

 we appreciate the fact that tl: e most minute detail of the tiniest 

 flower, even to the starlike hairs on the sepal of a calyx, will bear 

 the scrutiny of a microscope, words fail us in which to express 

 our admiration for the creative power of these artists. The closer 

 the study the more extraordinary seems the fact that the material 

 employed for these models is glass ! As in Nature no two flowers 



