6 INTRODUCTION 



1648 he published the first Catalogue of the Plants in the 

 Garden,* which shows him to have been truly " an excellent 

 gardener and botanist," as Dr. Plot described him. By his 

 diligence the valuable contents of the Garden had been so 

 largely increased that there were sixteen hundred " stirpes," -but 

 very many were varieties for instance, of Primulas there were 

 " Feild Cowslips, Feild Oxelips, Double Paigles, Cowslips two in 

 a hose, Feild Primerose, Double White Primerose, Single White 

 Primerose, Single Purple Primerose, Single Blew Primerose, 

 Greene Primerose, and Curld Cowslip." A second edition of 

 the Catalogue appeared in 1658, and the generic name Primula 

 was changed to Paralysis. t 



John Evelyn tells us that the sensitive plant was shown 

 in July, 1654, as a great wonder. "There grew canes, olive- 

 trees, rhubarb, but no extraordinary curiosities, besides very 

 good fruit, which when the ladys had tasted, we returned in 

 our coach to our lodgings." And again, that in October, 1664, 

 there " were two large locust trees, and as many platani, 

 and some rare plants under the culture of old Bobart," who 

 in 1669 was able to show to Ashmole "many choice plants, 



By will he devised " unto my eldest son Jacob Bobert, the lease of my 

 Greyhound Inn and meadow, holden from Magdalen College, and all 

 my garden plants and half my books." Tilleman Bobart had the other 

 half of the boo.ks. 



See Bobart, H. Tilleman, "A Biographical Sketch of Jacob Bobart 

 of Oxford, together with an account of his two sons Jacob and Tilleman." 

 With a portrait reprinted from the "Journal of Horticulture," Oct. 21, 

 1875. Printed for private circulation only, 1884. 



* " Catalogus Plantarum Horti Medici Oxoniensis. Sc. Latino- 

 Anglicus and Anglico-Latinus, Eas Alphebetico ordine accurate Ex- 

 hibens." I2mo, 1648. 



f The second edition of the "Catalogus Horti Botanici Oxoniensis" 

 was much improved by the joint labours of Dr. Philip Stephens, Fellow of 

 New College, and sometime Principal of Magdalen Hall ; William Browne, 

 Fellow of Magdalen College ; Jacob Bobart, the first Keeper of the 

 Garden ; and his son Jacob Bobart, the Professor. 



