144 BOTANY. 



of ornamental plants have been cultivated, which 

 are now become an object of trade, as well as se- 

 veral useful trees which now ornament our parks,'and 

 some of which have been introduced into our forests. 

 In the Jardin du Roi we cultivate every plant ne- 

 cessary for study ; arid great attention is also paid 

 to those which are useful or pleasing. When they 

 fructify, we gather the grains, and distribute them 

 gratuitously to all those whom we believe capable 

 of multiplying and propagating them. We also 

 give slips of those trees which have not yet borne 

 fruit. 



It would, doubtless, be extremely advantageous 

 to bring living plants to the Museum ; above all, 

 those which are known to be useful in the countries 

 where they grow : but the conveyance of living- 

 plants exacting much care, and giving much trou- 

 ble in vessels, we do not desire to receive any in 

 this state, but those which cannot be propagated 

 from grains, with the same qualities which a long 

 culture has obtained from them ; this number will 

 always be very small. 



The seeds should be gathered when very ripe, 

 and then put into paper bags, with a note, indi- 

 cating, 



If the vegetable be a tree or an herb. 



In what country it was gathered. 



The nature of th soil where it grew. 



The elevation of this soil above the level of the 



