220 NATURAL SCIENCE. April. 



more distant source, and so too he admits may some of the others, 

 which occur on both sides of the Iberian peninsula. Thus a hght 

 is thrown on the trade-routes of these learned troglodytes. 



The Royal Botanic Gardens. 



Doubtless with a view to justify its continued existence the 

 Royal Botanic Society proposes to establish " an institute for the 

 teaching of botany " at its gardens in Regent's Park. In support of 

 this idea Mr. W. Martindale recently read a paper before the society 

 and various botanists well known as teachers or scientific workers in 

 different parts of London. This paper has been widely reported and 

 copies have been circulated. The Botanic Gardens have, in the past, 

 been of much service to the various institutions already engaged in 

 the teaching of botany. Tickets of admission have been liberally 

 granted to students on the recommendation of their teachers, and 

 specimens have been supplied without stint. As an adjunct to 

 existing schools of botany the gardens have served a valuable pur- 

 pose, and in this direction there is no limit to further development. 

 But we strongly deprecate the establishment of an institute with the 

 functions indicated by Mr. Martindale, for this would only compete 

 with and not assist the older schools. When competition began 

 assistance would probably cease, and the gardens would end by 

 being far less useful than at present. There are quite enough 

 "teaching institutes" to ensure that healthy rivalry which is sufficient 

 to bring ruin to the antiquated or badly equipped. If, as is suggested, 

 the purses of merchants and City companies, or the zealously guarded 

 (where science is concerned) chest of the Treasury, are to be 

 approached, let it be to give the much needed help in cases where 

 good work is already being done, or to assist the development of the 

 gardens in a manner that shall be supplementary, not antagonistic, 

 to existing effort. Botany is one of the most, perhaps the most, 

 important of the natural sciences. Its application is the basis of 

 agriculture, and many other ' cultures ' besides, involving the 

 prosperity of our land and its colonies. But if this is to be duly 

 recognised the science must be popularised. We do not mean 

 degraded or enfeebled, but made interesting to that large body of 

 people who are glad to know something of a science but have not the 

 time or opportunity to master its abstruser technicalities. For such 

 popularising, a show of living illustrative specimens is one necessity, a 

 man who knows his subject and can talk about it in a clear and 

 simple manner is the other. The Royal Botanic Society has the 

 former, cannot it find the latter and bring the two together before an 

 audience in its lecture-theatre on a spring or summer Saturday after- 

 noon ? If this is not sufficient outlet for its energy let it set up a 

 laboratory fitted with apparatus for experiments in plant-physiology, 

 and offer the loan of it to the various teachers to whom we have 



