85 
DEPARTriENT 
OF 
BOTANY AND PLANT ECONOfllCS. 
This department occupies the galleries of the North, South, 
East (in part) and West Courts of the main building, and may be 
reached by any of the four flights of stairs in the central rotunda, 
or by the stairways at either side of the east and west main en- 
trances. 
The collection of this department comprise, in the main, those 
of the foreign governments in forestry, as exhibited in their 
Government Buildings, and in the F orestry Building, at the 
World’s Columbian Exposition ; the major portion of the gums, 
oils, medicinal plants, tan barks, dye woods, seeds and fibers ex- 
hibited by the foreign countries in the Agricultural and Manu- 
factures Buildings ; the Economic Plant Exhibit of the U. S. 
Government as exhibited in the Government Building, and 
portions of many American exhibits in this important branch of 
natural science. 
The general arrangement of the department is as nearly 
geographic in character as is possible. Beginning at the south- 
east corner of the south court the visitor travels westward 
through Russia, Corea, Japan, India, Ceylon, Johore, Siam, Tur- 
key, Spain, and Australia ; thence, beginning at the Straits of 
Magellan, northward through Argentine, Paraguay, Brazil, Vene- 
zuela, Trinidad, British Guiana, Ecuador, Colombia, Guatemala, 
and Mexico, to the United States as far as Alaska, meeting there 
the starting point, Russia. 
The special aim in the installation of the objects in this de- 
partment has been to insure scientific arrangement, although it 
is hoped enough display is made to attract and please the gen- 
eral visitor, especially when this could be done without detri- 
ment to the natural sequence of species. Sufficient time has not 
yet elapsed to study into the correctness of the identification 
labels, that were attached to the specimens when received, and 
