36 



is laid out in the French taste, and the quantity of glass which 

 they possess is very small. This garden was commenced by 

 Brotero, while Professor at Coimbra, when it appears to have been 

 in a flourishing state, and it continued a respectable establish- 

 ment under Brotero's successor Dr. Neves ; but since 1834 it has 

 obviously been quite neglected. At present, even including weeds 

 and the lichens and mosses growing on the trees and stones, we 

 do not think it contains a thousand species. 



The Royal Garden, Menagerie, and Museum of Ajuda, were 

 placed under the superintendance of Brotero, when he was re- 

 moved from Coimbra. There is now no menagerie, and the gar- 

 den is also in a neglected condition, although not to the degree 

 of that of Coimbra. Under the care of Brotero it was said to 

 possess 4000 species ; now they cannot exceed 1200. The glass 

 is of no great extent ; a matter of, however, less importance in 

 Portugal than England. The Aquarium is very large and well 

 adapted for aquatic productions. Many of the plants have their 

 names attached, which was done by Dr. Welwitsch when he had 

 charge of the garden. 



On the other hand, indications are not wanting of some pro- 

 gress in the right direction, as exhibited in a taste for horticul- 

 ture. Horticultural societies are about to be formed, both in 

 Lisbon and Oporto, and there are some individuals who cultivate 

 different tribes, such as Cactete, &c. Indeed there is not a coun- 

 try in Europe more admirably adapted for the lover of flowers ; 

 for here many of the choicest productions of Africa and Brazil 

 may be raised in the open air. The Date-palm, Dragon-tree, 

 Bananas, and Cacti stand the winters of Portugal, and thus may 

 afford some idea of the multitude of useful and ornamental plants 

 which might be introduced into this fine country. 



But the re-establishment, which will afford most hope to the 

 botanist, is the Garden at Lumiar, the property of the Marquis 

 of Fayal (son of the Duke of Palmella), and situated about five 

 miles from Lisbon. Lumiar has been recently purchased by the 

 Marquis and is still under process of repair, but bids fair to pos- 

 sess the richest collection of plants, whether native or introduced 

 to Portugal. Even at present a visit to the grounds is highly 

 interesting, and especially as there are some fine old plants from 

 tropical regions, which are completely naturalized. The mixture 

 of Clerodendron fragrans, Polygala myrtifolia, Bamboos, Bananas, 

 the Goa Cypress, Dracanas of gigantic size, Araucaria Brazill- 

 ensis (twenty feet high), Cereus Peruvianus (twenty-five feet high, 

 one and a half foot in circumference), with the trees and shrubs 

 of the north and south of Europe, afford to him, who has visited 



