United States Congressional Serial Set Volume 2878 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1891 edition. Excerpt: ...country always feels for the Garden of Buitenzorg. II. What are the principles of the organization we have just described, and how does it work? What are the advantages peculiar to large botanical gardens in the tropics, and why is there reason to expect them to exercise a great influence over the future development of botany? Before answering these questions an understanding must be reached on an essential point; that is to say, the different way in which pure and applied scieuce is studied in Europe on the one hand and in a tropical country on the other. When among European peoples science took the marvellous flight which characterizes our century, a differentiation soon commenced. Purely scientific studies and investigations remained as formerly more or less directly attached to the universities and faculties, in a word, to superior instruction, properly so called. But at the same time the remarkable useful applications which accompanied the progress of science necessitated the creation of special institutions, polytechnic schools, technical laboratories, experimental gardens, agricultural stations, etc. Both of these sister branches, pure and applied science, equally demanded indefatigable workers, trained in method and gifted in intelligence. While having a totally different object, they remain in relation and continual contact. Still the specialization exists and it may be easily foreseen that it will increase. It is the same or will be the same in colonies where the climatic conditions permit the European to fix his permanent habitation, but it is not the case for European colonies in tropical countries. There the colonists do not come with the intention of remaining permanently. On the contrary, from the time of their arrival in...