236 PARKS AND PLEASUEE-GROUNDS. 



readers ; admitting, at the same time, that they would 

 require some increase of room and of expense; still, 

 we think that there are several botanic gardens in 

 Great Britain of extent and resources sufficient to 

 admit of the experiment being tried with success. 



All botanic gardens ought to possess a certain num- 

 ber of plant-houses, properly glazed, and supplied 

 with heating apparatus. The more there are of these 

 structures, the better ; but their number and extent 

 will depend on the amount of funds placed at the dis- 

 posal of the institution. With cheapened glass, and 

 other materials, it is to be hoped that they will become 

 more numerous than ever. These houses should have 

 a special adaptation to the plants which are to grow in 

 them. A botanic garden can scarcely be complete 

 without a palm-house, a heath-house, an orchideous- 

 house, besides stoves, green-houses, and propagation- 

 pits. It must always be remembered that the deepest 

 interest awakened by this kind of garden connects 

 itself with the preservation and growth of those curi- 

 ous, and often singularly beautiful exotics, which are 

 the natives of tropical or other warm climes. 



The Botanicai. Museum is now becoming a neces- 

 sary and a most useful appendage to the botanic gar- 

 den. It is intended for the preservation of dried sj)eci- 

 mens of plants, seeds, samples of woods, and, in short, 

 for every form of vegetable production that can be 

 rendered permanent and kept in bulk. Ever}^ botan- 

 ist is aware how important is the liortus nccus to the 

 autlientication of species, and generally to the history 

 of his science ; there are, however, many other things 

 besides formal specimens of plants, which are interest- 

 ing and worthy of preservation. Properly arranged, 



