104 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



We have seen that botanic gardens, in their origin, were 

 based oh utiHty. This is perhaps the best distinction that can 

 be made between their function and that of the pubHc garden 

 or park, where plants are grown primarily for the purposes 

 of ornament or shade. The essential difference is apt to be- 

 come blurred, especially in the case of botanic gardens situated 

 near to towns and needs to be re-emphasized from time to 

 time. There is no reason why botanic gardens cannot or 

 should not be ornamental, but this should be strictly subsidiary 

 to their main purpose. 



What then are the proper functions of a botanic garden, 

 large or small, in the neighborhood of a great city, or in a 

 small tropical island? First, there is the scientific function. 

 New plants are introduced from other climates and other 

 lands and these are grown and studied so as to discover wheth- 

 er they are capable of adaption to their new surroundings and 

 whether they are likely to be of value, economic or aesthetic. 



Second only perhaps to plant introduction should be the 

 maintenance, so for as it is possible, of a representative collec- 

 tion of the more interesting and useful plants of the surround- 

 ing country and especially of species allied to those in cultiva- 

 tion. The latter are of great interest to the taxonomist, to 

 the plant breeder and to the pathologist, because of the like- 

 nesses and differences they exhibit in comparison .with the 

 species grown for use. In a cotton-growing island, for ex- 

 ample, nothing could be more appropriate or more useful, so 

 far as botanic gardens go, than a representative collection of 

 the native cottons, many types of which are in process of ex- 

 termination owing to increasing strictness regarding close 

 seasons. With them, it is quite conceivable, may be lost 

 characters or qualities which would some day prove highly 

 valuable. 



