ADVISOKY COMMITTEE ON BOTANY 9 



types are abundant, exhibiting a range of adaptation and a luxuri- 

 ance of development unknown in the temperate regions. 



The desirability and necessity for such an extension of botanical 

 research has long been recognized, yet but little progress has been 

 made in securing adequate facilities in the matter. The Dutch gov- 

 erumeut maintains a research laboratory in pure botany in connection 

 with its great plantations and collections at Buitenzorg, Java, and 

 the small number of botanists who have been able to undertake the 

 long journey to this laboratory have achieved results which fully 

 justify the above estimate of the value of such an institution. The 

 government of India is devoting some attentioii to similar develop- 

 ments in Ceylon and in one or two other places. An effort was 

 made to organize a tropical laboratory in the West Indies a few 

 years since, but the movement was interrupted b\ the Spanish- 

 American War, and it will not be possible to resmne the plan for 

 organization except by such aid as might be given b}- the Carnegie 

 Institution. 



The establishment of a botanical station of the intended scope and 

 functions would not only afford opportunities for the furtherance of 

 research in all of the strictly technical aspects of the science, but the 

 results obtained would include much of economic importance at a 

 time when it seems necessary for all 'tropical American countries to 

 improve their methods, or modify the character of their agricultural 

 operations. A station of the above kind would be easily accessible 

 to all botanical investigators in America, and might, if properly lo- 

 ■cated, become the foreruost tropical laboratory in the world, since 

 any part of tropical America is also capable of being reached quickly 

 by European students. 



The material equipment of the proposed station would consist of 

 a suitable building of metal or stone sufficient to accommodate a 

 scientific stafi of two or three persons and provide additional space 

 for at least a dozen investigators. The building .should be furnished 

 with the necessary apparatus and appliances for microscopical and 

 ■experimental research and a small working collection of books. 

 Stress Is to be laid on the fact that the best method of management 

 of such stations consists not in acquiring an extensive outfit for the 

 purpose of anticipating all of the wants of the workers who may visit 

 it, but in furnishing the elementary essentials of a station as a begin- 

 ning and then maintaining the ability to meet the particular needs 

 of the individual investigator. The station should have under its 

 control a few acres of ground in which cultural tests, operations, and 



