SPECIAL PURPOSES OF BOTANIC GARDENS. 235 



that name. There might at least be distinct gardens 

 for the natural vegetation of the United Kingdom, 

 and of her principal colonies — those, namely, in North 

 America, the Cape, Australia, New Zealand, and the 

 mountainous regions of India. It is not proposed that 

 eveiy plant which is to be found within the limits of 

 any country should be included in these separate ar- 

 rangements ; but it seems possible, by the selection of 

 characteristic species, to give a fair representation of 

 the vegetable economy of the territory selected, and 

 even to convey an expression of its external physiog- 

 nomy. The space required for such purposes is not 

 necessarily large, as the trees and shrubs which occupy 

 most space might be kept small, there being other 

 specimens of the same species, in the general collec- 

 tion, allowed to reach their natural development. Let 

 any one go into a botanic garden, as commonly ar- 

 ranged at present, in order to acquire a knowledge of 

 the vegetation indigenous in any of the temperate 

 regions of the world, and most likely he will have to 

 trace, by the aid of books and other appliances, a bo- 

 tanical system scattered over the whole grounds before 

 he can obtain even a glimpse of the object of his re- 

 search. From the divisional gardens we are now re- 

 commending, persons about to travel might receive at* 

 once a general idea of the vegetation they are likely 

 to meet with in foreign countries; and all might learn 

 with little trouble how much we are indebted to par- 

 ticular regions for the trees, shrubs, and plants that 

 tenant our gardens. Certainly, the unbotanical public 

 would find more attraction and instruction in these 

 than in strictly scientific arrangements. We there- 

 fore strongly recommend them to the attention of our 



