200 Notes relating to Botany, collected from 



take a copy of the whole, I now submit to the Linncan 

 Society those parts which I think most worthy of their 

 notice. A. B. L. 



I was born in the house against Church-alley, Clement's 

 Lane, Lomliard-street, from whence my parents removed 

 into Grace-chiirch-slrect, where I have now lived many 

 years. [.Tuly ISth, 1764.] Gardening and gardeners have 

 wonderfully increased in my memory. Being sent at two 

 years old to be brought up with my relations at Peckham 

 in Surry, from them 1 received the first liking to gardens 

 and plants. Their cardcn was remarkable for fine cut creens, 

 the fashion of those times, and for curious flowers. I often 

 went with them to visit the few nursery gardens round Lon- 

 don, to buy fruits, flowers, and dipt yev\ s in the shapes of 

 birds, dogs, men, ships, &c. For these Mr. Paikinson in 

 Lambeth was very much noted ; and he had besides a few 

 myrtles, oleanders, and other evergreens. This was about 

 the year 1712. At that time Mr. Wrench, behind the earl 

 of Peterborough's at Parson's Green near Chelsea, famous 

 for tulip-trees, began the coilectino- of evergreens, arbutuses, 

 phillyreas, Sec. ; and from him came the gold and silver 

 hedgehog-holly, being accidental varieties from the hedge- 

 hog variety of the common holly. He gave rewards to en- 

 courage people to look out for accidental varieties from the 

 common holly : and the saw-leaved holly was observed by 

 these means, and a variegated holly goes by his name to this 

 nay. He and Parkinson died al)out the year 1724. Con- 

 temporarv with them were Mr. Derby and Mr. Fairchild ; 

 they had their gardens on each side the narrow alley lead- 

 ing to Mr, George Whitmore's, at the further end of Hox- 

 ton. As their gardens were small, they were the only people 

 for exotics, and had many stoves and green -houses for all 

 sorts of aloes and succulent plants; with oranges, lemons, 

 and other rare plants. At the other end of the town were 

 two famous nurserymen, Furber and Gray, having )ari:e 

 tracts of ground in that way, and vast stocks : for the taste 

 of gardening increased annually. Doctor Compton, bishop 

 of London, was a great lover of rare plants ; as well such as 

 came from the West Indies as from North America, and 

 had the greatest collection then in England. After his 

 death the see was filled by bishop Robinson, a man destitute . 

 of any such taste; who allowed his gardener to sell what he 

 pleased, and often spoiled what he could not otherwise dis- 

 pose of. Many fine trees, come to great maturity, were cut 

 down to make room for produce for the table. 



The 



