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who might be on the staff of the National Botanical Institution 
at Kew, or the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, for the pur- 
poses of making careful studies of the collections at Tresco Abbey 
and La Mortola at different times of the year. 
In the case of both these institutions, which may be truly styled 
Botanic Gardens, a complete and accurately named garden her- 
arium is required, and also as far as possible drawings and 
studies should be made of the rare and interesting plants as they 
come into flower. 
At La Mortola, we believe, something has already been done in 
the direction of making a representative collection, but at Tresco, 
beyond the fact that valuable additions have been made from time 
to time to enrich the national herbaria at Kew and at Edinburgh, 
a local garden herbarium has not yet been established. 
Tresco, however, is fortunate in possessing a remarkable collec- 
tion of drawings of a large number of the interesting plants which 
have flowered in the gardens. The collection was commenced by 
rs. Le Marchant, sister of Mr. Augustus Smith, and a mos 
beautiful and faithful book of her paintings is carefully preserved 
at the Abbey. 
These drawings were made about the middle of the last century, 
and represent the plants introduced to Tresco by Mr. Augustus 
Smith. Many of these plants were sent to him from Kew, while 
during his service in the South African War he found odd 
moments for collecting, and sent home many interesting seeds 
of Aloes, Gladioli, and other plants for the Tresco Gardens. 
Just as the mantle of the uncle has descended on nephew and 
 psyoak t20 so has the mantle of Mrs. Le Marchant fallen on 
er 
