205 
to the plants which seemed to be perfectly at ease and able to 
cae all their charms. The fern (No. 2), cycad (No. 17) and 
palm (No. 26) houses may be singled out as salen 
yeaa of ediniestion. Among the ferns some splendid speci- 
mens of Osmunda regalis with a base as colossal as that - an old 
Todea may be mentioned, if only because one of them has been 
promised to Kew. They were obtained from Sotshi (district of 
the Black Sea) in the Caucasus 
The \fuseum.—The museum is at present housed in a narrow 
building erected in the north court and along the central range of 
‘glasshouses. It comprises eleven rooms in which a small part 
-of the very extensive collections is displayed in ahenun and 
table show cases. A considerable portion of one of the rooms is 
‘given up to the illustration of the desert flora of Turkestan which 
‘moreover, like that of Kamtschatka, is represented by a large 
umber of excellent photographs, many being in the form of 
transparencies hung against the windows. e publication of a 
selection of these photographs would, no doubt, be welcomed by 
many botanists. Quite unique are a priceless collection of gin- 
‘seng roots, and a very effective exhibition of sand-dried flowers. 
The erection of the new museum building will afford the much 
‘needed opportunity for the adequate display of the treasures 
which are at present still hidden away in cases and cabinets. 
The extent of the museum collections may be grasped from the 
‘figures given in the French guide book of the Garden, namely 
8,400 specimens for the dendrological, 29,400 for the carpo- 
pea 2,800 for the paleontological and 7,400 for the economic 
collec 
pees Laboratory.—This adjoins the museum and is princi- 
‘pally destined for the study of purely scientific or practical 
‘questions relating to plant life. Lately the work done there has 
been particularly concerned with problems connected with 
chlorophyll. 
Herbarium.—This is, as already stated, one of the most im- 
portant departments of the establishment. As it will fortunately 
moved very soon into the new building, it is not worth while 
to dwell on the conditions of its present home. 
