HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. 177 
varied and extensive forms of organic life may be found collected, and a 
depository provided for preserving what other countries, united to us by a 
universal commerce, can afford to give in exchange for our own. Rio Ja- 
neiro has, probably, at present, the first rank on the Western Continent in 
this respect. The small capitals of the southern British colonies are get- 
ting provided with botanic gardens. The world owes not a little to the city 
of Leyden, in Holland, and some even of the smaller cities of Germany, 
for persevering efforts in behalf of the natural sciences. So that all sorts 
and sizes of places, under all sorts of governments, where wages are high 
and where wages are low, where facilities are great and where facilities are 
small, are contriving to take a share corresponding to their means and influ- 
ence, in contributing to the general progress. Let Philadelphia be at it 
also, in a style corresponding to its rank and resources. 
The needful preliminary is to secure the ground as noticed above. When 
got, it will necessarily be laid out and ornamented in some way or other. 
Some expense is requisite for this purpose. Some addition to this expense, 
but not necessarily a great addition, will convert a park into an instructive 
institution of a powerfully influential character. The park may be made a 
book, not merely, however, like an album, splendidly bound, gilt and let- 
tered outside, but blank within; now, for the gratification of idlers and 
saunterers alone, corresponding to the superb folio of the French farmer of 
taxes under the old monarchy, where the alternate leaves contained in gaudy 
blazonry the successive dates of many years, followed by the words " The 
King came to visit me." Let the book be full of good matter, not only for 
Philadelphians, but for all the world to read and ponder. The subject-mat- 
ter to be read and pondered may consist of the whole variety of vegetable 
organization found within the boundaries of this great State, tastefully and 
systematically arranged. It is evident that if we can go no farther, we 
may go thus far, without any great addition to the mere expense of keep- 
ing the ground in order. Let everything be conspicuously named or labelled, 
as is done with some plants in the London parks. Then may the book be 
profitably read by all men. Time, experience and maturing taste, will soon 
advance such an institution beyond this point. In this mode how soon may 
we beneficially and economically commence. 
Men will become anxious to see how the graceful palm throws around the 
tall stem its gigantic plume of leaves, or how creepers hang their elegant 
festoons to flutter in the air, or how the fantastic and jBrial orchids wreathe 
their coronets of glowing splendors round old trunks. The vivacity of ani- 
mal life will not long be excluded. The humming birds of southern lands 
12 
