PREFACE xiii 
nursery garden at Montpellier, and on November 5th, 1868, 
Thomas Hanbury mentions many plants in flower, among 
them the striking Mexican Dahlia imperialis, ‘‘very fine 
and making a great show now.” 
The collection of Australian, South African, and American 
plants must have been a notable one already in the very 
first years, though no catalogue of that period exists, except 
of succulents. These formed an object of special interest 
from the very beginning, and Daniel Hanbury from time to 
time enumerates with evident pride the species in cultivation. | 
Even in June, 1868, he noted 40 different species, and in the 
autumn of the same year the collection was doubled. Many 
plants had been sent from Kew, from Paris, and from the 
fine collection of his old friend—the late Mr. Wilson 
Saunders, of Reigate—a well-known entomologist and 
botanist, and the editor of the Refugiwm Botanicum. Most 
of the large Agaves and Opuntias, which are now such a 
striking feature of the garden, date from that time. 
Until December, 1868, the brothers Hanbury were their 
own gardeners, having only the unskilled assistance of some of 
the Mortola peasants, but they were then fortunate in securing 
a young and excellent head-gardener, Mr. Ludwig Winter,” 
who remained at La Mortola for about six years. During this 
period the main parts of the garden assumed their present form. 
In 1874 Daniel Hanbury and bis friend, Prof. Fliickiger 
(of Strassburg University), finished their important book, 
Pharmacographia, which had closely occupied them for 
several years. Thomas Hanbury was looking forward to 
his brother’s more frequent presence at La Mortola, but 
his hopes were doomed to disappointment—Daniel died, 
after a few weeks’ illness, at Clapham Common, on March 
24th, 1875.+ 
During the last twenty-eight years of his life Sir Thomas 
spent the greater part of the year at La Mortola, and was 
never happier than when there, surrounded by his family 
and by friends who shared his love of Nature. He knew 
almost every individual plant in his garden, and the most 
precious to him were those which reminded him of his 
beloved brother. He would gladly have given more time to 
* Now Cavaliere and owner of the large horticultural establishment 
at Bordighera. 
+ A short biography and obituary notice is to be found in ‘ Science 
Papers, chiefly Pharmacological and Botanical, by Dan. Hanbury.” Edi- 
ted by Joseph Ince. London, 1876. 
