ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDEN. 115 



Jakes, grottoes, gardens, and conservatories, in which all kinds of 

 tropical and subtropical plants and flowers are to be seen, including 

 choice Peruvian orchids. A circle of palm trees incloses a pretty 

 kiosk, and several artistically placed buildings ornament the grounds. 



37. 'The Botanical and Zoological Gardens of the Government 



of Paraguay. 



[From Bulletin, July, 1916.] 



These gardens are located on the Paraguay River, in the imme- 

 diate vicinity of Asuncion, at Trinidad. They have, within recent 

 years, been greatly enlarged and improved by buildings and equip- 

 ment. An agricultural school is maintained, and the entire work is 

 under the direction of Dr. Fiebrig. 



38. The South African National Botanic Garden. 



[Extracts from Nature, vol. 91, Aug. 14, 1913, p. 611.] 



400 acres in area; established in 1912. 



A farm on the Rhodes estates, to the south of Groote Schur, on the 

 eastern slopes of Table Mountain. It adjoins the country seat of Van 

 Riebeek, the first Dutch governor (1652-1662). 



The eastern half consists of flat or slightly undulating land, about 

 200 feet above sea level. The western half rises to about 1,000 or 

 1,500 feet, including the lower ends of three richly wooded gorges. 

 The lower-lying parts have been heavily planted with pines, oaks, 

 and poplars. 



The underlying rock, except perhaps in the most elevated parts of 

 the estate, is granite. The slopes, however, are for the most part 

 streAvn with blocks of sandstone from the mountain above. 



Many acres are overlain with the rich deposit of humus derived 

 mainly from the oaks and poplars. 



There is a good water supply from two streams in the adjacent 

 gorges. 



In selecting this site the well-known Cape southeastern wind was 

 taken into account. The tract already bears several hundreds of 

 species of plants more or less representative of the Cape region itself. 



The control of the garden is vested in a board of five trustees, three 

 of whom were elected by the Government. Two further nominations 

 are made ; one by the corporation of Cape Town, and another by the 

 Botanical Society of South Africa. 



The trustees make the following appointments : A director and a 

 secretary. In addition there is the usual gardening staff. 



39. The Imperial Botanical Garden, Petrograd, Russia. 



[Extract from an article by Prof. N. L. Britton. in Science, Vol. IV, No. .38, 1896.] 



The Imperial Botanical Garden at Petrograd is in close affiliation 

 with the Academy of Sciences and the university. There is here a 

 famous herbarium, a large botanical library and museum, and com- 

 modious and well-stocked greenhouses. The garden published Acta, 

 and many researches prosecuted there are printed in the Bulletin and 

 Memoirs of the Imperial Academy. 



