Of all public resorts a scientific garden when properly kept, will be found to be, not only one of the most delightful mediums for intellectual gratification and amusement, but, also one of the greatest of temporal blessings that can be enjoyed by a people.

To all classes of society, the old and the young, the infirm invalid, or the robust and the vigorous, the rich and the poor, a garden may be considered almost alike an object of interest, of instruction, and amusement. It is a field which abounds with objects, that generally make lasting impressions on the mind; and happily there are but few, who, however unacquainted with the principles of botanical science, are not more or less filled with admiration at the endless variety of form, presented by any considerable assemblage of the vegetable kingdom; their grotesque trunks, and tapering stems; their leaves so varied in shape, and so beautiful in structure; their flowers, so curious in their parts, so diversified in colour, and often so exquisitely fragrant; but above all, how admirably adapted is each, in one way or another, for the use and gratification of man.

A Guide that should indicate to strangers the more remarkable features of the Missouri Botanical Garden of St. Louis, and point out the many interesting plants cultivated there, has long been a desideratum. The very fact of the continual additions to the plants, and their rapid growth, renders it difficult to give a perfect Guide or Handbook, for only reference to the more remarkable objects can be desired; the constantly increasing bulk of the plants, and fresh arrivals of novelties, causes such a guide to become in a measure imperfect soon after its publication. In summer from May to September, most of the plants are placed in the open air; thus individuals that are recorded as occupying any particular plant house, may require shifting the very next day. It must also be obvious to every intelligent observer, that in a comparative limited collection, requiring artificial protection, not botanical arrangement, or class divisions can be expected; in cultivation, the required temperature has to be attended to, any neglect of which would be speedy destruction to tropical plants.

This Guide is historical and descriptive, rather than botanical, a science to which the writer has but small pretensions, and tho' little qualified, knew no other person competent and willing to undertake the task; so it is nothing more in fact, than a compilation of information gathered from various sources. The beauty of these grounds, and the plants they contain, combined with the free admission of the public, attracts, as may be supposed, at certain seasons, a great crowd of visitors, and a few needful regulations here given, are mainly taken from the Guides of the Kew Gardens.

1st Smoking, or eating & drinking or the carrying of provisions of any kind into the Gardens, are strictly forbidden, No dogs can be admitted.

2nd No packages or parcels, bags or baskets are allowed to be carried into the grounds. All such must be deposited at the Gate of Entrance, while the owners make the tour of the Gardens.

3rd No person attired otherwise than respectably can enter, not children too young to take care of themselves, unless a parent or suitable person be with them—the police (when there) save orders to remove such, or also persons guilty of any kind of impropriety, and when large schools are admitted they to be accompanied by a requisite number of tutors & in accordance with the rules of the Garden.

4th It is by no means forbidden to walk upon grass walks, still it is requested that preference be given to the gravel-paths & especially that the lawn edges parallel to the walks, be not made a foot way, as nothing renders them more unsightly. It is scarcely needful to say that all play, leaping over beds, running in the grass & slopes are prohibited. The Gardens are intended for agreeable recreation and instruction, not for idle sports.

5th It is requested that visitors will refrain from touching the plants, and flowers; a contrary practice can only lead to suspicion, perhaps unfounded, that their object is to abstract a plant or flower, which when detected must be followed by expulsion.

6th in entering the plant houses it is particularly requested that visitors will keep to the right, if they do otherwise they will pass each other which the narrowness of the walks renders difficult, and this must occasion inconvenience to all parties, and often injury to the plants.

The accompanying plan of the grounds will, it is expected, prove useful to the visitor. More might be said on these heads, but while bearing testimony to the excellent conduct of the many thousands who frequent the gardens, I prefer to rely on the good sense and honorable feeling of visitors, and the value they must attach to the privilege here afforded, rather than multiply restrictions that may not be absolutely required. It will be observed the Garden is in three grand divisions.

1st The Garden proper, containing the plant houses for tropical and other plants requiring protection, but which in summer are put out of doors, except the ferns and large palms; the Herbaceous ground with plants scientifically arranged and named, is in the centre around use pavilion, and the Cacti in the north end of the Garden next the wall.

2nd The Fruticetum, for Shrubbery, and experimental fruit garden.

3rd The Arboretum, containing a collection of Trees comprising all that will grow in the open air in this climate and locality; a Pinetum for the pine family, a Querecetum for oaks, and Salicetum for willows.

To strangers desirous of presenting museum objects or plants to the Garden from abroad, I here take leave to mention that its dispatching packages or parcels, the quickest mode of transit is always the best.

The address should be:
To Henry Shaw
Missouri Botanical Garden

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