158 THE PLANT WOELD 



Editorial. 



We have liad occasion several times to note the progress that is being 

 made by the New York Botanical Garden. This institution was formally 

 organized in 1891, though active work on the ground was not begun until 

 some years later, or about 1896. Within the short space of five years it 

 has grown to be, in many respects, the leading institution of its kind in 

 this country. The location is naturally well adapted for a botanical 

 garden, and steps were at once taken to retain many of the original 

 features as nearly as possible in a state of nature. To this has been 

 added the hundreds of species of herbs, shrubs and trees now growing 

 there, representing very satisfactorily the varied flora of this country. In 

 the green houses are some 3000 additional species. There is a fine 

 Museum and Laboratory building, wherein is perhaps the largest her- 

 banium in the country, and for the care and study of each of the greater 

 divisions of the plant kingdom there is an officer and one or more assist- 

 ants. The managment is broad and liberal and it is altogether a 

 monument to botanical study. It is to be regretted that the U. S. 

 Government has not seen fit to establish a properly equipped institution 

 of similar scope at the National Capitol. The present botanical garden 

 is in wholly inadequate quarters, and the national herbarium is seriously 

 handicapped for lack of space and proper equipment. Every European 

 country, even the smallest, has its botanical garden and properly organ- 

 ized herbarium, and we should have the same here. While America leads 

 the world in so many lines, it is a matter for serious regret that in 

 this respect we do not keep pace with other countries. It is true that 

 this government is fostering original research in botany as perhaps no 

 other one is, yet there is room for advance in the way of a National 

 Botanical Garden worthy of the name. 



Apkopos of the article on " A New Station for the Gray Polypody," 

 in our last issue, the following note is of interest : 



" Editor of The Plant World : Mr. Pollard is wondering that the 

 little fern, Polypodium polypodioides, is growing on rocks. In the two 

 stations here in the vicinity of St. Louis, it is growing on white sand- 

 stone. Also in the Cumberland Mountains in Tennessee, it is growing 

 on rocks. Henry Eggert." 



