[PENHALLOw] A REVIEW OF CANADIAN BOTANY IS 



Botanic Gardens^ 

 Halifax. 



The earliest attempt to establish a botanic garden in Canada, of 

 which there is any record, was made at Halifax, Nova Scotia. At the 

 settlement of Halifax by Cornwallis in 1749, the whole rear portion of 

 the town was set apart as common, to be devoted either to militarj^ pur- 

 poses or the use of the town. In front, on what is known as Citadel Hill, 

 the fortincations were built, while in the rear were marshes, used at that 

 time as shooting ground. Grradually much of this land was reclaimed 

 and converted into tields. About tifty or sixty years ago a number of 

 men interested in the cultivation of fruits and flowers, obtained from the 

 city a concession of several acres of this common which tho}^ fenced in, 

 and for many yeai"s i*aised fruit, flowers and vegetables which were sold. 

 An admission to the grounds was also charged. As the holders of this 

 concession gradually passed away, the property became neglected and 

 debts accumulated. Finally, about twenty-flve years ago, two zealous 

 flori culturists who were at that time members of the city council — John 

 McCullock and "William Earron— proposed that the council should buy 

 out the interests of the Horticultural Society, the members of which 

 either surrendered their interests or sold them at a nominal rate. The 

 city thus secured the entire property for a few thousand dollars, and at 

 once added a large tract of the adjacent marsh land. This change was 

 rendered possible largely through the generosity and influential represen- 

 tations of Michael Dwyer. Esq., a leading banker and commercial man of 

 Halifax, and a member of the Horticultural Society, in whose hands the 

 property had for so long remained. The garden comprises tifteen and 

 one-half acres, and is diversitied with jîonds, water courses, arbors and 

 shrubbery, and while no attempts arc made to conduct scientific work, 

 the general treatment is designed to promote a knowledge of trees and 

 shrubs, and to some extent also of flowering herbaceous plants. Under 

 the skilful management of the superintendent, Mr. Richard Power, the 

 garden enjoys a wide reputation for beauty. 



Kingston. 



Among the objects specified in the constitution of the Botanical 

 Society of Canada, we find it stated that " the Society shall seek to promote 

 its objects by * * * experiments on the indigenous and domestic 

 plants of Canada; the introduction and distribution of new plants and 

 seeds adapted to the wants of the country ; the encouragement of arbori- 

 culture, forest conservation, and the culture of fibre, dye, oil. food and 

 medicinal plants, together with the publication of papers embodying the 



