40 THE BOTANISTS OF PHILADELPHIA. 



the facilities which are presented at Philadelphia, that the 

 city is peculiarly fitted to be the botanical centre of 

 America. Situated between New York, the metropolis of 

 America, and the Capitol of the United States, it is within 

 easy reach of the metropolitan life and publishing houses of 

 the former city, and the libraries and scientific departments 

 of the latter city, in the Smithsonian Institute and National 

 Museum, and in the National Congressional Library. The 

 libraries of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the 

 American Philosophical Society, the Pennsylvania Histori- 

 cal Society, the University of Pennsylvania, the Franklin 

 Institute, the Free Library Company, and the Philadelphia 

 Library Company present unusual opportunities for research 

 and study. In addition to the facilities for study and 

 research already mentioned, the city has Fairmount and 

 Bartram's Parks, and the seed houses of national reputation 

 of Landreth, Dreer, Buist, Blanc and Burpee, whose experi- 

 ment farms lie within close proximity to the urban limits. 

 Philadelphia has never very severe winters, being protected 

 by the range of hills to the west and north-west. Lying in 

 close proximity to New Jersey, whose peculiar flora is rich 

 in species, and to the drainage areas of the Susquehanna, 

 Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, it is favorably situated 

 for botanical research. Why not make Philadelphia the 

 Botanical Centre of America ? 



