234 
A Museum of Economic Botany . 
A study of the products of some of the West Indian islands, in 
relation to the configuration, soil and climatology of the same 
islands, brings home in a striking manner some of the factors con¬ 
trolling botanic enterprise. Dominica, Grenada and Trinidad, for 
instance, are well-wooded, mountainous, and have sheltered valleys 
and a high rainfall ; in these islands we find at the present time 
sugar of minor importance compared to cacao, limes, spices, etc. 
Barbados and Antigua, on the other hand, are comparatively tree¬ 
less, open and exposed to the trade winds, and have a low rainfall; 
in these islands the cultivation of sugar is still the predominant 
industry, because although it is no longer so remunerative as for¬ 
merly, there is no other staple crop (except perhaps cotton) to which 
the conditions are suited that can adequately take its place. 
To sum up : A museum of economic botany should be devoted 
to illustrating the source, geographical distribution, collection, 
manufacture, properties and uses of vegetable products and 
the conditions controlling their production and utilization, the 
means employed being specimens, photographs, maps, descriptive 
information, commercial data, etc. The products may be grouped 
according to (1) their botanical relationships (2) their uses (3) their 
country of origin. In museums devoted to the products of only one 
country, the employment of the second method appears the most 
useful. In museums of a wider scope the adoption of the first 
method has a special interest for the botanist, the second and third 
methods appear of almost equal value for commercial purposes, the 
advantage being with the geographical system if the museum is 
extensively used to illustrate the products and resources of par¬ 
ticular countries, and the conditions controlling botanical 
enterprise. 
