Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 40.djvu/232

220. The Arnold Arboretum, the Shaw Garden, and the Washington Experimental Garden are American illustrations of what is needed for this purpose. University gardens have their place in instruction, but can not wisely undertake this kind of work.

In the second place—museums and laboratories of economic botany. Much good work in this direction has been done in this country by the National Museum and by the department in charge of the investigation of new plants. We need institutions like those at Kew in England, and at Buitenzorg in Java, which keep in close touch with all the world. The founding of an establishment on a scale of magnitude commensurate with the greatness and needs of our country is an undertaking which waits for some one of our wealthy men.

In the third place—experiment stations. These may, within the proper limits of their sphere of action, extend the study of plants beyond the established varieties to the species, and beyond the species to equivalent species in other genera. It is a matter of regret that so much of the energy displayed in these stations in this country, and we may say abroad, has not been more economically directed.

Great economy of energy must result from the recent change by which co-ordination of action is assured. The influence which the stations must exert on the welfare of our country and the development of its resources is incalculable.

In the last place, but by no means least, the co-operation of all who are interested in scientific matters, through their observation of isolated and associated phenomena connected with plants of supposed utility, and by the cultivation of such plants by private individuals, unconnected with any State, governmental, or academic institutions.

By these agencies, wisely directed and energetically employed, the domains of commercial and industrial botany will be enlarged. To some of the possible results in these domains I have endeavored to call your attention.

stock of diamonds, according to the calculations of Iron, has increased enormously during the past fifteen years. The product of the African mines, 1,500,000 carats in 1876, was 4,000,000 carats in 1889. Still, the demand for diamonds increases, and the price rises every year. The traffic in diamonds is essentially different from all other trades in the single item that the product is never consumed. While there is a perceptible wear even in gold and silver, a diamond, once cut, is permanently added to the stock, and is liable to come upon the market at any time. Yet a place and eager purchasers are found for all the new ones.