232 
W. G. Freeman. 
is certainly very convenient. He finds closely brought together all 
the specimens of each group the museum contains, whatever may 
be their botanical source or country of origin. 
The method also allows of a good system of descriptive 
labelling. Thus taking some important product obtained from 
several countries, an account should be given of the plant and the 
conditions under which it grows. Its distribution should be shown 
on a map. A general description of cultivation and pre¬ 
paration would follow next, with notes on any exceptional 
methods employed in particular localities. Specimens of the pro¬ 
duct should be shown, accompanied by commercial information, and 
an account of their properties and uses. Statistical information, 
photographs, etc., should be introduced whenever possible. Such 
an exhibit would give a fairly complete summary of the known 
facts relating to the product. 
The method has however some disadvantages. It is scarcely 
practicable to give detailed information respecting the climate, 
geology, economic conditions and other important facts of each 
country where the product is grown. Facilities are given to one 
group of commercial inquirers, but not to the second group—those 
desiring information on the products of particular countries. For 
the requirements of emigrants the arrangement is not suited. 
(iii.) The remaining scheme of arrangement to be considered 
is the geographical, in which the products are grouped in the first 
instance according to their country of origin. This method is 
adopted in the Economic Collections of the Imperial Institute, the 
exhibits being grouped in Sections or Courts, arranged in geo¬ 
graphical order. A sketch of the proposed arrangement of one 
Court, will serve to indicate the nature of the general scheme for 
the reorganization of these collections now being carried out under 
the direction of Professor Wyndham R. Dunstan, F.R.S., Director 
of the Imperial Institute, and at the same time to show the possi¬ 
bilities and limitations of the geographical mode of arrangement. 
Each section should contain general, orographical, metero- 
logical and geological maps of the country. The distance of its 
ports from the principal markets of the world should be indicated. 
Whenever available a map showing the distribution of the 
principal crops should be added, such maps being often of great 
importance in indicating a direct relationship between soil, rainfall 
or other conditions, and the area occupied by some particular crop. 
Statistical tables should be employed to show the relative 
