10 



the important duties of that office in the spring of the year 

 1841, and to make, as speedily as possible, a report to the 

 Board, of such alterations as were deemed essential for render- 

 ing the gardens useful to the public at large and to our 

 colonies abroad. Many useful suggestions on these heads 

 are offered in the Report of Dr. Lindley, especially when he 

 observes, " A National Garden ought to be the centre round 

 which all minor establishments of the same kind should be 

 arranged ; they should be all under the control of the chief of 

 that garden, acting in concert with him, and, through him, 

 with each other ; reporting constantly their proceedings, ex- 

 plaining their wants, receiving their supplies, and aiding the 

 mother country in every thing that is useful in the Vegetable 

 Kingdom. Medicine, Commerce, Agriculture, Horticulture, 

 and many valuable branches of manufacture, would derive 

 much advantage from the establishment of such a system. 

 From a garden of this kind, government would be able to 

 obtain authentic and official information on points connected 

 with the establishment of new colonies : it would afford the 

 plants there required, without its being necessary, as now, to 

 apply to the officers of private establishments for advice and 

 assistance. 



" Such a garden would be the great source of new and 

 valuable plants, to be introduced and dispersed through this 

 country ; it would be a powerful means of increasing the plea- 

 sure of those individuals who already possess gardens; and, 

 what is of far more consequence, it would undoubtedly become 

 an efficient instrument in refining the taste, increasing the 

 knowledge, and augmenting the amount of rational pleasures 

 of that important class of society, to provide for the instruc- 

 tion of which has become so great and wise an object with the 

 present enlightened administration. 



" Purposes like these could not be effectually accomplished 

 with such a place as the Botanic Garden of Kew now is 

 (in 1838). It would, however, prove an admirable founda- 

 tion ; and the facility of reaching it, either by land or water, 

 renders it impossible to select a better site in the vicinity of 

 the metropolis. 



" To render it effective, it should be enlarged by the addi- 

 tion of, at least, 30 acres from the Pleasure Grounds of Kew. 

 Considerable additions should be made to the houses ; every 

 thing should be systematically named and arranged ; in short, 

 the garden should be perfectly adapted to the three branches, 

 of instruction, exhibition, and supply." 



