GENERAL PLANNING OF A PARK SYSTEM 43 



i. Botanical Gardens. These are areas devoted to the propagation, 

 culture and display of plant life. They are intended primarily to serve as 

 sources of information on plant life for the general public, to provide aesthetic 

 enjoyment and to serve as a laboratory for the scientific study of plants. 

 As such laboratories they may become of great value from the economic 

 standpoint. They may be located in large landscaped parks, as in South 

 Park, Buffalo, or may occupy areas used exclusively for botanical gardens, 

 as in Washington, D. C. (National Botanic Garden), or St. Louis (Shaw 

 Botanical Garden). 



The question whether botanical gardens should be located in large 

 parks or in areas devoted entirely to garden purposes is debatable. It is 

 suggested, however, that a garden set apart from all other park areas estab- 

 lishes a special identity in the minds of the people, and that as a result 

 greater educational-recreational values can be derived therefrom than if 

 located in some large park where the minds of the people would be divided 

 among several different attractive features. 



The educational-recreational value of botanical gardens cannot be 

 overestimated. Far too littje attention has in general been given the devel- 

 opment of such areas by park authorities in this country. It is a feature 

 that even comparatively small park systems might practically develop. 

 Botanical gardens should be rated among the very important features of 

 any park system and their use as actively promoted and organized as is 

 that of playgrounds, playfields and community centers. 



No principle governs their size, which may range from a very few 

 acres to several hundreds of acres, depending on the variety and numbers 

 of each variety of plants cultivated. Primary considerations in their loca- 

 tion are atmospheric conditions, qualities and conditions of soil, and acces- 

 sibility to the public. 



2. Arboretums. An arboretum is a botanical garden devoted exclu- 

 sively to the culture, care and display of shrubbery, plants and trees. As 

 in the case of the botanical garden, its primary purposes are the general 

 education of the public as to these types of plant life, an enjoyable and 

 profitable source for the use of leisure, ajid its service as a laboratory for 

 the scientific study of shrubs and trees. Growing out of the scientific 

 culture and study may come results of great economic importance to the 

 locality, state and nation. 



The few genuine arboretums in this country are located either in 

 general botanic gardens or occupy a specific area devoted exclusively to 

 the purpose. In point of fact any landscaped or naturalistic park con- 

 tains some of the elements of an arboretum. There is no general principle 

 governing their size. A very large variety of shrubs and trees can be grown 



