11 



Other alterations of a very important character could not 

 fail to suggest themselves to the Director on his becoming 

 intimately acquainted with the minutiae of the establishment, 

 and many which it were tedious to narrate in this place. 



One of the first of these was to throw open the Botanic 

 Garden for the admission of the public on every week-day, 

 from the hours of one to six, or, rather, till dark in summer ; 

 and even to admit any respectable individuals coming from a 

 distance, who may not be acquainted with this regulation, at 

 an earlier hour ; and not only are the grounds, but the houses 

 also, open to visitors ; and it is almost needless to say that the 

 number of these has been very considerable. Yet, what is 

 peculiarly gratifying, and contrary to the anticipation of many 

 persons, this privilege has been rarely abused. In the few 

 cases of an opposite description, the conviction (which must be 

 expected when trustworthy men are necessarily dispersed 

 through the garden at their various occupations) has produced 

 its own punishment. 



Next to the facility of ingress, and consequent pleasure 

 and instruction to the public, the enlargement of the ground 

 was an important object. The limit of the garden was not 

 indeed exactly defined where it met the precincts of the 

 residence of H. M. the King of Hanover ; but permission was 

 soon granted to include within the Botanic Garden, all 

 the ground immediately adjoining the Conservatory and the 

 Orangery, which greatly augmented the beauty of the 

 view, and included between 3 and 4 acres. This addition 

 to the gardens, howeve'r, was rather to be considered orna- 

 mental than useful. Application was made by the Chief 

 Commissioner of Woods and Forests to Her Majesty, for such 

 an extent of land from the contiguous Pleasure Ground as 

 might afford the means of forming an Arboretum, suited to 

 such an establishment, and also of erecting a Palm or Tropical 

 stove, equally worthy of the place and the nation. Her 

 Majesty was graciously pleased to assent to this request, and a 

 portion of the Pleasure Ground, comprising about 47 acres, 

 and including a piece of water, was surveyed and permitted to 

 be enclosed with a light wire fence, so as still to open the 

 view into the rest of the Pleasure Ground, and added to the 

 beauty of the Botanic Gardens, which may now be estimated 

 to contain 60 acres, and the two areas are now laid into one. 

 Thus, here is a considerable space allotted for Arboretum, it 

 judiciously planted, and in grounds already so highly orna- 

 mental, and so furnished with well-grown trees, as to present 



