27 
distribution may be given. Casual observers are often as much 
interested to learn where a plant came from as to learn if it has 
any useful or ornamental features ; the biological grouping also 
teaches them, by suggestion, that plants even from remote regions 
are related to other plants which they may know something about 
and thus opens up new lines of thought for many people. 
2, Morphological and Physiological Features. — The demon- 
stration and illustration of structure and function presupposes 
some acquaintance with elementary botany, which the great 
majority of visitors do not at present have. The rapid develop- 
ment of nature-study in schools will render groupings of plants 
arranged from these standpoints much more generally significant 
than they are at present. It is possible and practicable to form 
groups of plants selected to illustrate the gross morphology and 
the simpler phenomena of physiology. These groups are more 
likely to be elaborated in gardens established primarily for stu- 
dents than in those laid out primarily for the use of the public. 
To a certain extent, groupings illustrating ecological consider- 
ations can also be established with advantage, although areas 
remaining in the natural state are more usefu 
3. Economic Applications. — Plants eioured and labeled with 
reference to their uses, or the uses of their products, are of very 
direct interest to the public, coming, perhaps, closer to ordinary 
are best brought out by a special installation classified as food 
oe, es plants, fiber plants and otherwise. As in the case 
of sy , economic installation has to be piecemeal, 
using glass houses for topic economic plants and for those from 
warm-temperate regions. The elaboration of labels is of great 
satisfactory display of useful plants. These subjects can be very 
thoroughly illustrated by the formation of musems of economic 
plant products and this is usually accomplished in highly developed 
botanical gardens. A system of cross references on labels be- 
, 
