27 



&chatka, to carry them home ; and, lastly, Schrenk, who, after 

 a voyage along the shores of the Arctic Sea, made four 

 excursions during four summers, in company with Mr. Mein- 

 shausen, in Songery as far as the frontiers of China and 

 Independent Tartary. For many living plants, the garden is 

 indebted to Messrs. Gebler, Kyber, Steven, Weinmann, and 

 others. 



The garden continued till 1830 under the Minister for the 

 Interior ; but, as a proof of special favor, His Majesty caused it 

 to be transferred in that year to the Ministry of the Palace, 

 accompanied by a considerable increase of means for its annual 

 support, obtained from the Emperor through the influence of 

 the chief of that department, Prince Wolchonsky. Thus the 

 garden has been gradually advanced towards an equality with 

 similar establishments elsewhere. 



EXPLANATION OF THE PLAN, TAB. I., 



which shows the garden to be an irregular quadrangle of 

 somewhat beyond 20 Russian acres* (dessatmes) containing 

 48,350 square fathoms, each fathom being 7 feet English mea- 

 sure. On the South and East it closely approaches branches 

 of the river Neva; on the West is the Apothecary s fetreet ; 

 and on the North, with the northern front of the garden, the 

 Garden Street. , T . . AT 



a. is the chief entrance from the Newka, or Little Neva. 



b. New houses, described below. 



c. Old houses, used for the growth of the necessary orna- 

 mental plants ; on its northern side a large hall has been added, 

 containing part of the Herbarium and specimens appertaining 

 to the Botanical Museum. . , 



d. Wooden dwelling houses for the official gardeners and 



laborers. _ . . ,, 



d* A large wooden house on stone foundation, the resi- 

 dence of the Director. A large hall, occupying the centre of 

 this structure, contains the Library and part of the Museum. 



e. Ground for out -door perennials and ^ biennials. L his 

 ground is enclosed with a quick hedge of Siberian White 

 Thorn (Crataegus sanguined, Pall.; well suited for northern 

 latitudes, where the ordinary White Thorn will not live. 



/. Vacant space intended for the Russian flora. 



* About 54 English acres. 



