Cultivation of Botany in England. 431 



Occidental Plane does not thrive well in the mild climate of 

 England, as it shoots too early in the spring, and then suffers 

 severely from the late frosts. "^I observed also Samhuais nigra, 

 " foliis ternatis," which grows wild on the ruins of an old Ro- 

 man wall in Wiltshire, but without perfect stamens, which it 

 equally wants in the Chelsea Garden. Among the Succulents, 

 particularly the Aloes, are many that were in the possession 

 of Miller. Banks has also left here a memento of his youth, 

 in the invention of an experiment that will oudive him, much 

 as its success was doubted at first. Mr. Anderson confirms 

 it, by saying that when a tree or shrub is inoculated with a 

 variegated-leafed variety, the foliage of the grafted stem be- 

 comes also gradually variegated. He showed us a proof of it 

 in a Jasmine, which was only budded with a variegated jasmine, 

 and now covers a whole wall widi its particoloured leaves. It 

 is a question, whether this variegation may not be produced 

 in the same way by inoculating variegated buds on any tree 

 favourable to the development of the buds. 



Besides a small botanical library, existing at the time of 

 Miller, the herbariums of Catesby, Rand and Nicholls, are 

 also preserved here in well-closed cases ; they appear, how- 

 ever, to be but litde used, for we found the top papers so co- 

 vered with coal soot as to blacken our hands. It is sad to see 

 how the coal smoke penetrates every where. There is a col- 

 lection of seeds by the venerable Rand, whose beautiful ar- 

 rangement may have suggested the leading idea of the work 

 by the two Gcertners. The Chelsea Garden is continually 

 receiving seeds from all parts of the world : a large collection, 

 sent by Baron Field, who is a judge diere, from New Holland, 

 had just arrived. The liberal Mr. Anderson kindly offered 

 us a portion of diis valuable present, which we have divided 

 ao-ain with other friends. Mr. Anderson related to us, not 

 without painful feelings of just indignation, the history of the 

 latter days of the immortal Miller. This zealous officer was 

 dismissed in the most illiberal manner by one of the committee 

 who dien superintended the garden, as a reward for his un- 

 remitting services to the institution, as well as his extensive 

 knowledge in gardening. He soon after died of grief, and 

 left — nothing! Fifteen gardeners united, and subscribed a 

 guinea each for a gravestone ; but as just at that time die son 

 of Miller returned from India with a fortiuie of 15,000/., and 

 it being naturally supposed Uiat the opulent son would erect 

 a monument to his parent, the simple stone was given up: — 

 yet Uie son never thought of rearing a moiunncnt to his illus- 

 trious fadier. Sir Joseph Banks Uien set on foot a new sul)- 

 scription, to which he himself contributed five pounds; and 



the 



