445 



whose large loose meadows are the grazing grounds of the Duyong, 

 and are frequented by we scarcely know what fish. In the study of 

 them, the sea offers a wide and a most interesting field. 



The size or a first class Botanic Gardek. 



Very interesting is the evidence taken by a Committee (the 

 Joint Committee on the Library, Congress of the United States) on 

 tlie pro])Osal to e>sta1>lish in Washington a Xational Botanic Garden. 

 The Committee meeting on May 21st, 1920, heard a number of 

 eminent men, the second to give evidence having been Dr. X. L. 

 Britton, Director in chief of the Xew York Botanic Garden : — 



Senator Knox. " I would like to ask what would your 



judgment be as to an adequate area for a botanical garden such as 

 the United States ought to maintain here at the Capital ? " 



Dr. Britton. " I should think you ought to have at the mini- 

 mum four or live Iiundred acres. You ouglit to hkve that to develop 

 an institution which would meet the necessities. 



Senator Knox. What is the area of the Xew York Garden? 



Dr. Britton. We have about 394 acres. 



All the other witne;-ses supported the idea of olitaining an area 

 of 400 acres:. and as matters are reported it appears as if the pro- 

 posal will go through. 



The evidence ends with a review of the Gardens of the world, 

 showing Germany to possess 36, Italy 23, France 20, Eussia 16, the 

 United Kingdom 14, Austria-Hungary 13, the United States 12, 

 and so on; but the whole British Empire contains 65, The size of 

 the Gardens and some account of tliem follows. The new Botanic 

 Garden at Kirstenbosch, Cape Town is credited with 400 acres, 

 Kew with 288, Calcutta with 272, and several with 200. From that 

 they descend until with the purely University Gardens we arrive at 

 some of very small size. 



A Botanic Eeserve — Mount Maquiling. 



The Government of the Philippine Islands has set aside Mount 

 Maquiling, in the island of Luzon as a national reserve : it is to be 

 kept for the students of animal and plant life, for tho-e who "wish to 

 study the Fauna and Flora. The mountain is 1144 metres high 

 (3753 feet) ; and is covered with virgin forest through which a few 

 paths have been cut. At its foot are the laboratories of the College 

 of Agriculture of Los Bancs, and it is intended that one use of the 

 reserve shall be for the training of foresters. 



