95 
THE GARDEN BOOK-PLATE 
The accompanying illustration (fig. 12) is a facsimile of 
the new book plate for the library. The composition of the 
design is by Mr. William B. Miller, a Brooklyn artist, the ele- 
ments being supplied by the Garden. Most of the elements will 
be readily interpreted by all students of botany. In the lower 
portion of the central panel is an illustration, from the architect's 
drawing, of the laboratory building now in process of erection. 
The view shown is the western (main) entrance, facing the 
Garden. 
The shield at the center of the upper border bears the motto 
of the Garden, “For the advancement of botany and the service 
of the City.” This motto embodies the purposes of the Garden 
as stated more fully in the Agreement between the City of New 
York and the Brooklyn Institute (B. B. G. Recorp 1:8, 13. 
IQI2). At the left of the shield, a compound microscope 
typifies the microscopical phase of botanical science, while at the 
right is shown the classic experiment to demonstrate the evolu- 
tion of oxygen in photosynthesis, typifying plant physiology. 
The design of the bee and clover on the left border recalls 
the fundamental observations of Joseph Gottlieb Koelreuter 
(1733-1806) and of Christian Konrad Sprengel (1750-1816), 
and is intended to typify plant ecology. It will be recalled that 
Koelreuter, who was the first botanist to investigate scientifically 
(i. €., by systematic and accurate observations and experiments) 
the question of plant hybrids, was also the first botanist clearly 
to perceive the relation between flowers and insects, to study 
the structure of the flower with reference to pollination, and to 
discover the use of nectar. Sprengel is, of course, known as the 
author of the famous book, “Das entdekte Geheimniss der Natur 
im Bau und in der Befruchtung der Blumen. (‘The discovered 
secret of nature in the structure and fertilization of flowers’’), in 
which Koelreuter’s observations were greatly extended, and at- 
tention called to the very common occurrence of cross-pollination 
in nature. 
The design at the middle right border will at once be recog- 
nized as the terminal portion of the shoot of an evening-primrose. 
This design is, in fact, a reduced facsimile of the illustration 
