164 SCIENCE REMAKING THE WORLD 



tempt is to have collections which, while appealing to 

 the sense of the beautiful, will give definite information 

 and instruction to the amateur as well as to the specialist. 

 The modern botanical garden fails to serve the com- 

 munity as it should if the school pupil as well as the 

 advanced student is unable to learn much from it. Mod- 

 ern educators who are seeking to find improved methods 

 of teaching are beginning to recognize the fact that 

 gardens furnish some most important and unique op- 

 portunities for imparting knowledge. Formerly books 

 and travel were the chief sources of information to the 

 general public; in these days of the phonograph, the 

 radio, and the moving picture, visual education is taking 

 a larger and larger place. Exhibits of plants native to 

 countries being studied in geography may give a better, 

 idea of conditions in that country than anything short 

 of an actual visit could accomplish. The growing of 

 tropical fruits, spice and perfume plants, rice, cotton, 

 sugar cane, coffee, tobacco, peanuts, and other economic 

 plants, particularly if their peculiarities are pointed 

 out by one familiar with their various characteristics, 

 forms a most helpful adjunct to modern educational 

 practices. Nowhere can fundamental facts concerning 

 heredity, selection, and breeding be so well demon- 

 strated as in a garden; and an insight into physiology, 

 morphology, and pathology may be easily gained when 

 presented through the life of a plant. Most children 

 are interested in gardens of one sort or another and 

 through their desire to learn what to grow and how to 

 grow it, as well as the kind of care which must be exer- 

 cised in order to make a success, many important bits 



