ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDEN. 97 



and the museum's steady connection with the university and the 

 scientific personnel engaged in the latter. May it be granted that 

 in the future the Government and the university provide with the 

 same care that, by the employment of proper scholars and profes- 

 sional men who have feeling and sympathy with this requisite of 

 scientific relation, the institution be maintained on this high plane, 

 and that, while they constantly keep in mind the related demands 

 of applied botany ^ they do not give this feature first place. 



Less stress is laid upon the number of the varieties increasing in 

 culture, and the endeavor is to have as many plant families, char- 

 acteristic species, and biologically interesting specimens as possible 

 represented: and care is .taken that in the arrangement of plant 

 groups for study purposes as complete a representation as possible is 

 attained. But this is governed b} T available areas and funds, as well 

 as by the inclinations and connections of those in charge. For this 

 reason the local garden possesses, perhaps, the largest collection of 

 perennial woods of central Europe, of the plants found in high 

 mountain areas, one of the most complete collections of cacti, and 

 aracee and palms. Constant effort is made that as many plant fami- 

 lies as possible are represented; because, even if many tropical and 

 subtropical plants do not attain bloom in our conservatories, their 

 cultivation has nevertheless a scientific value for comparative ana- 

 tomical study ^ which nowadays in the economic utilization of the 

 plant systems can not be neglected. Cultivation of high-mountain 

 plants by us in the lowlands has scientific value in the ascertainment 

 of the facts as to how such varieties are affected and modified by 

 changed conditions, and despite the fact that the gardener has his 

 pride in so taking care of the plant so that it changes and modifies as 

 little as possible. 



Xot only does the local botanic garden serve the studies being 

 prosecuted by the University of Berlin, but specimens are requested 

 and furnished botanists from other universities in Prussia, Germany 

 proper, and foreign institutions. 



As time went on, however, other functions had to be added, which 

 necessitated fourfold expansion. To the original ordinary garden 

 and arboretum and the economic and medicinal division there had to 

 be added a tropical economical division. The expansion of German 

 influences into foreign colonies necessitated this, and yearly hun- 

 dreds of valuable plants are furnished the colonies for propagation 

 and cultivation due to the research work that has gone on in the 

 mother station at home. 



But with such an institution as a botanic garden not only must the 

 gathering of a vast supply of material for instruction purposes and 

 scientific investigation, as well as the material interests of the people, 

 be recognized, but the garden must be so arranged that the various 

 exhibits give pleasure and delight to the visitors. This is achieved 

 in many ways. While originally only the form of a plant was ex- 

 hibited, lately the development of the plant, its functions and uses, 

 and its modifications under varying conditions has been more espe- 

 cially noticed, and this branch of botany, called plant biology, has 

 been, therefore, especially recognized in this garden. Certain plant 

 groups are arranged which show how various plants assimilate food 

 and feed themselves ; others how they will protect themselves under 



