MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 55 



tion of Gardeners) at St. Louis, could not fail to have been im- 

 pressed with the pleasing showing made in those greenhouses of 

 the Missouri Botanical Garden where benches were eliminated and 

 the collections planted directly in the soil. Even when the material 

 used did not possess any particular intrinsic beauty, such as some 

 of the plants of economic value or those of purely botanical interest, 

 a pleasing effect was produced. Such desirable results may be 

 attributed to several factors. In the first place, planting directly 

 in solid beds provides sufficient soil for plant roots to ramble freely. 

 This, especially in the case of the stronger growing subjects, 

 enables growth to be made which more nearly approximates what 

 one would expect in nature and is in striking contrast to the results 

 obtained when the plants are starved in pots. Secondly, one is spared 

 the distractions occasioned by obtrusive benches and inartistic pots. 

 Thirdly, it is possible, provided those responsible have sufficient 

 strength of mind to avoid overcrowding and to rigorously sacrifice 

 when crowding does occur, to obtain results on a small scale com- 

 parable to the garden pictures to be seen in the outdoor garden 

 when it has been laid out by a landscape artist with due regard to 

 composition. 



"We must admit there are difficulties to be faced to achieve this 

 desirable result, and also disadvantages connected with a planted 

 out house, but it is maintained that in many cases the advantages 

 to be gained make it well worth while to take the extra thought 

 which will result, partially at least, in eliminating these draw- 

 backs. There is one obstacle to a successful landscape composition 

 in a greenhouse that can scarcely be eliminated, and that is the 

 house itself. We can never hope to entirely relegate to the back- 

 ground the house structure, and one must be reconciled to the 

 feeling that the plass is there, but much can be done by skillful 

 planting, especially when the house is of good size, to make it less 

 obtrusive." 



STATISTICAL INFORMATION FOR MARCH, 1921 



Garden Attendance: 



Total number of visitors 19,975 



Plant Accessions: 



Total number of packets of seed received in exchange. . 275 

 Total number of plants received in exchange 181 



Library Accessions: 



Total number of books and pamphlets bought 99 



Total number of books and pamphlets donated 136 



Herbarium Accessions: 



By Purchase — 



D. Lewis Dutton — Plants of Vermont 160 



By Gift- 

 Field Museum of Natural History, by Dr. C. F. Mills- 



paugh — Fungi of Santa Catalina Island, California... 52 

 H. A. Lee — Fungi of Luzon, Philippine Islands 17 



