Botanic Gardens of the World

Abstract

WE have received the second edition of the list of botanic gardens of the world compiled under the direction of Dr. Stuart Gager, director of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (“Botanic Gardens of the World: Materials for a History”. Brooklyn Bot. Rec.9 27, No. 3, July 1938. Price 2 dollars 50 cents). Apart from its intrinsic value to botanists, the list will prove helpful to research botanists and teachers of botany who may require information or material from definite localities. In this way, the list forms a sure guide. But there are inconsistencies in the information given concerning each individual garden. This is due to the fact that the compiler has been at great pains to make the information authoritative by obtaining it from the source, namely, the gardens themselves. In this, Dr. Gager experienced certain difficulties, since, though most garden officials supplied all the necessary information, some made no or scant reply to the questionnaires sent. Where the information can be considered complete, it is of great utility. For example, under the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, are listed date of establishment, area, list of directors, organization, source of income, library, herbarium, arboretum and fruticetum, plantations, publications, museums, etc. The list is not intended to be simply a guide to existing botanic gardens, but as material for a history of botanic gardens, existing or defunct, and “thus as a contribution to one of the most important phases of the history of the organization and administration of botanical science, from the time of Aristotle to the present”. Such a history would receive a warm welcome from all botanists, since we believe no such comprehensive history exists at present. We would suggest one slight improvement in the next edition of this list, which would undoubtedly render reference more easy. The gardens are arranged alphabetically under each country, and the latter in turn are arranged alphabetically. There are, however, no page headings (except page number). It would be a distinct advantage if the name of the country were placed at the top of each page.