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Asia, Africa, and America. Near the mansion, and com- 

 municating with it by an arcade, in which stood oranges, 

 lemons, and myrtles, loaded with flowers and fruit, was 

 another conservatory, where the plants of more temperate 

 climates were judiciously selected from the general collec- 

 tion, so that, even in winter, there might be seen a constant 

 succession of the choicest blossoms. There the Camellia 

 and the Indian Chrysanthemum displayed their endless 

 vai-ieties. In the open borders of the garden, besides 

 numerous plants derived from countries whose latitudes are 

 similar to our own, the visitor was struck with a great pro- 

 fusion from latitudes bordering on the Tropics; which, 

 during the summer season, flourished in a peat soil and in 

 sheltered situations, as if they were in their native regions. 

 Many Mexican plants were thus treated, especially the 

 Maurandia Barclayana^ whose numerous lovely-hued 

 blossoms, backed by the abundant and vigorous foliage, 

 showed how well both the climate and the soil were suited to 

 its nature. 



The gardens at Buryhill were not thus richly stored with 

 plants, except through the medium of a most extensive cor- 

 respondence. From Mexico, Mr. Barclay received frequent 

 and important communications, as well as from Peru and 

 Chili. With Dr. Fischer of St. Petersburgh, he held a 

 constant intercourse by letters. But the individual through 

 whom Mr. Barclay's gardens derived their choicest 

 treasures, was unquestionably Charles Telfair, Esq. of the 

 Mauritius, who has rendered the most important services to 

 humanity and to science, by his residence in that fertile spot. 

 Not only were seeds and roots of the native plants of that 

 Island frequently transmitted; but also vegetating fruits of the 

 famous Coco de Mer, {Lodoicea Sechellarum,^) or double Cocoa- 

 nut:, from the Seychelles Islands, the Colombo-root^ which yields 

 so precious a medicine, and the Telfairia pedata^ a cucurbita- 

 ceous plant, whose seeds are esculent, and also contain an 

 abundant oil : the two latter from the East coast of Africa ; 

 with the poison Tanghin, and innumerable other novelties 

 from Madagascar. Nor were Mr. Telfair's communications 



