84  World's  Columbian  Exposition,  etc.  {^i^^m™^ 
ments  on  the  crossing  of  wheats  and  some  of  the  graphic  results 
were  shown  in  small  sheaves  mounted  upon  tastefully  framed  green 
felt.  Here  were  exhibited,  also,  models  of  representative  average 
and  normal  forms  of  vegetables.  The  prime  value  of  these  models 
with  their  excellent  arrangement  was  that  it  afforded  the  student  a 
means  of  fixing  the  conventional  standard  or  type  and  illustrating 
the  chief  lines  of  development  and  variation  as  arising  therefrom. 
Two  of  the  specimen  charts  were  unique.  One  comprised  six  glass 
tubes  about  an  inch  in  diameter  and  five  feet  long,  containing  pro- 
portionate amounts  of  "  sugar  in  the  juice,"  and  refined  sugar  in  the 
leading  sugar  beets.  A  similar  chart  displayed  the  starch  yield 
from  the  varieties  of  potatoes.  Altogether  the  exhibit  was  just 
such  a  one  as  a  teacher  of  economic  botany  ought  to  possess  in  his 
museum  and  use  in  his  teachings. 
The  Japanese  garden  was  considered  the  unique  feature,  and  has 
been  acknowledged  as  a  good  example  of  Japanese  art.  It  was 
22  x  141  feet  in  extent  and  comprised  2,000  distinct  plants.  It  was 
intended  to  represent  such  a  garden  as  is  to  be  seen  adjacent  to  a 
dwelling  house.  Here  were  the  hillocks,  the  cascades,  the  stone 
lamps,  the  sheet  of  water  and  the  summer  houses  hidden  in  the 
clump  of  trees.  Upon  either  side  of  the  central  walk  were  a  mis- 
cellaneous collection  of  plants,  so  thickly  planted  as  to  nearly  hide 
the  earth.  This  walk  passed  over  an  arched  bridge,  which  was 
peculiar  in  its  construction.  In  the  rear  were  blue  and  green  sprays 
of  Juniperus  littoralis  projecting  over  the  water,  while  in  front  were 
large  and  small  Azaleas,  ferns  and  red-berried  Adrisias.  Among 
some  of  the  interesting  plants  from  Japan  was  a  Thuja  orientalis, 
about  3  feet  high  and  8  inches  thick  at  the  base.  It  was  reported 
to  be  100  years  old,  but  its  growth  was  so  curtailed  and  dwarfed 
that  it  appeared  as  a  very  small  shrub.  In  order  to  produce  this 
result,  the  limbs  of  the  trees  are  tied  with  ligatures,  and  at  the  same 
time  they  are  placed  in  such  positions  that  they  will  grow  into  the 
most  fantastic  shapes  imaginable.  The  result  is  we  have  some 
trees  reduced  in  size  and  presenting  almost  as  hideous  an  appear- 
ance, compared  to  the  original,  as  would  a  human  being,  whose 
limbs  and  body  were  dwarfed,  tortured  and  twisted  out  of  all  shape. 
A  number  of  the  genera  were  thus  represented.  One  Cypress, 
reputed  to  be  300  years  old,  perished  with  the  cold  of  the  previous 
winter.    Some  of  the  ancient  crooked  Maples  were  but  a  foot  high, 
