The Botanic Garden.

During the last few months the Botanic Garden of the University has been perhaps more attractive than at any previous stage of its development. Mr. Oakes Ames, the assistant director, has had the hearty co-operation of the head gardener in all particulars, and has carried out certain plans which have been carefully matured. The most important of these plans is the improvement of the central pond, a small body of water which has heretofore given much trouble. Mr. Ames attacked the problem in a thorough manner, and the result has been most gratifying. The water-plants have grown and bloomed well, and warrant the expectation that a continuation of the same policy next year will give a superb display of the finer water-lilies. It would be a great addition to the attractiveness of the Garden, if an aquatic house could be built on the upper terrace. In such a house it would be possible to cultivate the magnificent "Victoria regia," or Water-lily of the Amazons, and the varieties of tender water-lilies of smaller size.

The greenhouses next to the laboratory have been very busy during the vacation, having been filled by the students in the summer school. In these houses the experiments on the growth, movements, and respiration of plants have been conducted very successfully. In the laboratory proper, Dr. True and advanced students have been conducting experiments in regard to the effect of poisonous salts on plants.

The water-tower, erected about twenty years ago, fell recently without any warning. It had been inspected not long before, but the concealed ravages of white ants had honeycombed the posts at two or three points. Fortunately no one was near the tank when it fell. One of the neighboring greenhouses was damaged somewhat, and about one hundred plants were destroyed, all of which are easily replaceable.