62 Mr Patrick Geddes on 



araucaria left standing, the plot was, with hardly any change, 

 in every way suitable for a useful exhibition of the natural 

 orders. A few beds were set apart fur physiological illustra- 

 tion, and experiment trees were planted round two sides in, 

 or as far as possible opposite to, their orders. The higher 

 plants were arranged in the middle. 



The method of aiTangement will best be seen from the 

 ground plan. At the entrance a large rectangular bed is 

 occupied with Thalarniflorals, indicating at a glance the 

 approximate morphological and generic relations of the 

 included orders. From this row the eye is directed by a 

 notch cut out on the turf from Malvaceae to Geraniacese, 

 while adjoining Cruciferse lie the Caryophyllace?e with their 

 degenerate allies. Another notch directs the eye from 

 Rosaceae, which are united on the one hand through Ona- 

 gracese to Saxifrages and Crassulaceee and Umbelliferse, on 

 the other to Leguminosae. The Calyciflorae form one definite 

 plot. The Coralliflorals form a large plot at the further end ; 

 the Compositse are found in the central oval, and are flanked 

 by a group of orders — Dipsacaceae, Valerianaceae, Campanu- 

 lacese, &c. — closely united to one another and to the Com- 

 positse. This relationship is also shown by notches in the 

 grass. The Monocotyledons form a large rectangular bed 

 along one side ; the Amentiferte are similarly grouped along 

 the wall at one end. The trees complete the square. In the 

 bed of Monocotyledons the lilies occupy the central division, 

 and pass off on one hand towards through Iridacefe to 

 Orchidaceae, and through Juncaceae, &c., to grasses. In all 

 cases the orders have been taken in their widest acceptation. 



The first advantage claimed for a small type garden of this 

 kind is that it exhibits at the glance the general relationships 

 and divisions of the vegetable kingdom, and thus forms a most 

 useful key to the greater botanic gardens, where a baginuer is 

 lost in the maze of numerous beds, and where he too often 

 utterly fails to attain any general scientific conception of the 

 plant world. From its compactness, of course, this further 

 advantage ensues, that even any village school may have its 

 garden. Instead of the dreary wastes of evergreens or blank 

 spaces which we now see, we might have useful, beautiful, 

 and scientific gardens. Every town at least might thus 

 utilise and beautify one or two of those odd half acres which 



