COMPANION 
TO THE 
BOTANICAL MAGAZINE. 
BRERA ADIs 
ADDITIONS TO THE “ HORTUS KEWENSIS.” 
When the collection of plants in the Royal Botanic Gardens 
of Kew, for a long time perhaps the richest in species of any in 
Europe, was comparatively stationary, the publication of the 
“ Hortus Kewensis”’ of Mr. Aiton proved a great boon to culti- 
vators in general. The first edition appeared in 1789, and the 
whole impression was sold off in two years; and we well remem- 
ber this first edition bemg so much in demand that a sum of six 
pounds was offered, and not accepted, for a copy a little pre- 
vious to the appearance of the second edition. This, again, 
although the augmentation of species was very considerable, and 
very valuable aid was given by Mr. Brown, has not yet, in thirty 
years time, experienced such a sale as to call for a new impres- 
sion ; and the Synopsis of the work met with a still less favourable 
reception. This arose from no want of merit in the book, but 
from the vast accession, durmg late years, of species to our 
gardens ; so that the impression is scarcely in circulation when 
it is found inadequate to the expectations and wants of the pub- 
lic, who look more for descriptions and remarks upon recently 
introduced species than those already known in our gardens. The 
increasing desire also to possess figures of the plants in cultiva- 
tion, and the number of them that have now appeared, tend in 
no small degree to lessen the value of such a work as a Garden 
Flora; so that it is more than probable a new edition will never 
be called for. It is quite evident, however, that works of plates, 
laborious and expensive as they are, can never keep pace with the 
multitudes of plants that are almost of daily introduction, not 
even with the aid of the valuable monthly chronicle of miscella- 
neous matter published by Dr. Lindley in the “Botanical Register.” 
Our miscellaneous pages give us an excellent opportunity for 
noticing, from time to time, many plants, more or less deserving 
of general cultivation, which have, since the publication of the 
last edition of the ‘ Hortus Kewensis,’ been received into the 
B 
