168 ANNALS OF THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN 



[Vol. 2 



means 



its existence has been extremely difficult, so much so that it would 

 be practically impossible for it to continue under the same conditions 

 for any length of time without failing for want of support. I must 



my 



m 



In the same report I point out : 



'Such a difficult situation is due especially to the deplorable condi- 

 tions which have depleted the Public Treasury, and that as soon as 

 the present sad state of aifairs disappears (which, fortunately, seems 

 to be already taking place), all the branches of the administration 

 will again receive that encouragement of which they are in such 

 great need.' 



And this I believe sincerely, since I have faith in the move- 

 ment which is being started for the salvation of the country 

 and for the restoration of peace. 



After all, this is the history of the development of every 

 new idea; it is obliged to struggle on its own merits — with 

 danger of being suppressed — against all kinds of difficulties. 

 One of these, and certainly not the least which I have en- 

 countered, has been the predominating instability everywhere, 

 due to the political disturbances which have been ravaging 

 the country for a long time. This circumstance and the abso- 

 lute lack of means have prevented me from making the trips 

 which I had planned in order to bring to the Garden some 

 living plants, which to-day constitute the most pressing need 

 of our institution. I am convinced that the life of the 

 Botanical Garden depends essentially on providing it with 

 plants. Since the departments are really well prepared, the 

 essential thing now is to fill them with plants, preferably 

 with the greatest possible number of specimens of the Mexican 

 flora which are found in the mountains; and the only effec- 

 tive way of obtaining them is to go and get them. As long as 

 this cannot be done, the work of the Garden must be limited 

 to the routine work of preserving what is already there. 



II. Detailed Description 



At the end of 1913, according to the compilation made at 

 that time, the Botanical Garden contained the following 



