ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDEN. 91 



These terraces are used for the smaller plants and for tanks for 

 aquatic plants. 



16. The Garden of Plants, Paris, France. 



75 acres in area : founded in 1626. 



In this garden are concentrated most of the Parisian institutions 

 connected with natural science. Besides the zoological and botanical 

 gardens, it comprises natural history collections, laboratories, and 

 a library. 



Lectures on natural science, to which the public are admitted gra- 

 tuitously, are also given here in the amphitheater, a hall capable of 

 containing 1,200 persons. 



The botanical gardens are open daily from an early hour until 

 dark, but the menagerie, collections, hothouses, and library are open 

 at certain hours daily. 



The conservatories are grouped near the main museum building at 

 one end of the grounds, are very large, and contain a great variety 

 of plants. 



The botanical library, laboratories, and the enormous herbarium 

 are in a separate, older building. Many valuable contributions to 

 botanical literature have emanated from this grand institution in the 

 past 100 years. 



The botanical garden is divided into quadrangular beds by a num- 

 ber of handsome avenues. The red labels indicate the classes to Avhich 

 the plants belong, the yellow labels the families, and other labels the 

 genera and species. The edible herbs are denoted by green bands on 

 the labels showing the species, medicinal plants by red, poisonous 

 plants by black, industrial plants used in arts by blue, and ornamental 

 plants by yellow. 



In addition to the facilities it offers for study on the spot the bo- 

 tanic garden distributes seeds, plants, and specimens to educational 

 establishments and other botanical gardens and societies, and also to 

 students, botanists, artists, and workmen. 



17. The Berlin Botanic Garden. 



[Extracts from Rundgang durch den Koniglichen Botanischen Garten zu Berlin. Heraus- 

 gegeben im Auftrage der Direction Zweite, durchgesehene Auflage. Mit einem Plane 

 des Gartens. Berlin, 1S95. Gebruder Borntraeger.] 



It is in the first place a university institute, and as such has the 

 primary obligation of furnishing material for botanical instruction 

 in the university, and, secondly, as far as is possible in that climate, to 

 cultivate the most important forms of plant species in so far as they 

 are of the slightest use or service to mankind or illustrate extent of 

 plant life. 



Furthermore, the garden has to furnish material for the scientific 

 investigations of advanced botanists as far as this can be accom- 

 plished without affecting the supply of their plant stock. 



Aside from the scientific worth of botanic gardens, lately the great- 

 est efforts have been made to so conduct them that the layman can 

 find useful information and instruction in them. All consideration 

 of their maintenance for the convenience and recreation of the masses 

 take last place. The administration has endeavored so to arrange and 



