ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDEN. 11 



aside of necessity on account of the war. I am very glad, indeed, 

 to have it followed up now. 



I have prepared a concise statement giving my view as to the need 

 and the general scope of a botanical garden. I have not gone into 

 the question of the plan, because I think that depends very largely 

 on the scope, and very largely on the site. It must come in as a 

 secondary consideration. 



The statement I prepared is as follows : Botanical gardens, under 

 scientific development and maintenance have become the most im- 

 portant institutions for the investigation, teaching, and display of 

 the vegetable kingdom. 



The number of kinds of plants is so vast, and their products so 

 numerous that we are as yet only upon the threshold of knowledge 

 as to their relationships, life histories, and uses. Plants furnish 

 food, forage, clothing, drugs, lumber, oils, resins, spices, gums, and 

 a great number of minor products essential to the existence of man- 

 kind. Any discoveries of new facts concerning plants or new appli- 

 cations of old facts may be of importance in the relation of man to 

 vegetation. 



The desirability of bringing us closer and closer to nature has been 

 emphasized by the necessity of conserving and increasing the prod- 

 ucts of plants, not alone of the kinds in ordinary cultivation but the 

 immense number of other kinds not yet put into useful application. 

 The best way of teaching this lesson is to bring together, under 

 scientific arrangement, care, investigation, and explanation as many 

 different kinds in as many different places as practicable. The num- 

 ber of well-equipped and well-maintained extensive collections of 

 plants hitherto established is quite insufficient to meet this need. 



Plant collections, by their beauty and their interest, are attractive 

 to everybody; they give untold pleasure to great numbers of people 

 and their reaction is elevating to all who visit them. Their greatest 

 efficiency, both as regards instruction and enjoyment is, of course, 

 when located within easy reach of dense populations. 



The present Botanic Garden in the city of Washington is insuffi- 

 ciently developed, and its restricted area prevents any satisfactory 

 rearrangement or expansion. The relocation, or new establishment, 

 now contemplated if providing very greatly increased acreage, 

 coupled with liberal provision for construction, installation, mainte- 

 nance, research, and teaching under scientific direction, would, in 

 a few years, provide an institution of enormous usefulness, of great 

 beauty, of national significance, and of international repute. 



Mr. Moore. If you care to ask questions of Dr. Britton, he will be 

 glad to answer them. He is the head of the New York Botanical 

 Garden, which is one of the three or four great botanical gardens of 

 this country. 



The Chairman. Mr. Moore, I am so ignorant of this entire sub- 

 ject, and it is so technical, that as you have the men here who are 

 familiar with the subject, I wish you would put them on and put 

 in your case, say what yau think ought to be done, take their recom- 

 mendations and substantiate your recommendations. We are here 

 to get knowledge. We do not know what questions to ask. 



Senator Knox. I would like to ask Dr. Britton one question. What 

 would your judgment be as to an adequate area for a botanical garden 

 such as the United States ought to maintain here at the Capital? 



