PRESIDFA'TIAL ADDRESS. — SECTION C. 39 



The oldest of the South African Gardens — the Municipal 

 Gardens of Cape Town — was established under the name of a 

 Botanic Garden in 1848. The objects of the founders, as stated 

 on the subscribers' tickets were : — 



1. To introduce from all parts of the globe useful, ornamental and fruit- 

 bearing trees, shrubs, plants, flowers and vegetables, and to promote their 

 distribution and culture throughout Southern Africa. 



2. To afford an acclimating resting-place and depot for exotics in the 

 course of interchange between the eastern and western hemispheres. 



3. To afford facilities for the study of Botany as a science and in connection 

 with the horticulture and agriculture of the Cape and for training practical 

 gardeners. 



4. To provide, for the recreation and amusement of the public and strangers, 

 a garden ^\•ith shady walks, arbours, seats, fountains, green-houses and a 

 displav of the choicest and most delicate flowers. 



These include some of the important functions of a Botanic 

 Garden as this terms is now understood, and the fact that 

 Ludwig Pappe, Karl Zeyher and Peter MacOwan are among 

 those who have controlled its destinies is a sufficient guarantee 

 that a real effort was made to establish here a garden worthy 

 of the name and of the place. And, indeed, the Cape Town 

 Garden has in the past done a great deal in introducing exotic 

 plants into cultivation. But those responsible for its manage- 

 ment maintained a long but losing strife against unsuitable 

 locality, poor soil, too limited space, lack of water, inadequate 

 funds and the consequent grinding necessity of making the bulk 

 of the income from the sale of produce. The functions of a 

 Botanic Garden were swamped, and all pretence in this direc- 

 tion was finally abandoned in 1891 when it was taken over by 

 the ^Municipality. It became, as MacOwan foretold, "but a 

 town pleasaunce of flowers and shady walks," and. indeed it 

 could never have been anything greater. This purpose it fulfils 

 admirably, and it is now\ probably more than it ever was be- 

 fore, a credit to the city and to the Corporation as to its 

 curator, Mr. Ridley, whose skill in carrying out manv recent 

 improvements is deserving of all praise. 



Mention should also be made of two experiment stations 

 recently established in the Transvaal. Skinner's Court in Pre- 

 toria, brought into cultivation as a forest nursery in 1902, be- 

 came a garden for the experimental cultivation' of economic 

 plants in 1904. A second station of the same kind, with 25 acres 

 under cultivation, was opened at Springbok Flats in the Water- 

 berg district in 1903. Both these are therefore in their in- 

 fancy, but so far as can be judged from the available published 

 information concerning them, they will perform some of the 

 important functions of a botanic garden which have hitherto 

 received little attention in South Africa. 



^ The organisation of the Cape Public Gardens has at various 

 times been the subject of comment from men whose opinions 

 in these matters are worthy of our attention. Space does not 

 permit me to notice these so fullv as might be desirable, but 

 the general agreement among those who have placed "their 

 views on record really renders it unnecessary. It is only fittino- 

 that I should commence with our distinguished botanist, Dr' 



