INTRODUCTION 25 



Arts, and that the Professor of Botany should reside at the 

 Garden.* 



With the money raised, a new stove-house, built to the 

 plans of Mr. Toby of Chelsea for ^450, was immediately 

 commenced ; the Stone Yard, an eyesore near Magdalen 

 Bridge, was purchased from the Street Commissioners for 

 ,150, only to be surrendered again for the widening of the 

 bridge in 1882-3 ; additions were made to the Gardener's 

 House and a noisome ditch bridged over ; the two round 

 tanks for aquatics were made at a cost of 14$ 8.r. 6d. ; a 

 porter's lodge for i 1 7 8s. 6d., and new rooms on the north side 

 of the Library cost ^885, these were among the improvements 

 made in Daubeny's first year. An experimental garden was 

 also laid out, and Baxter's long-cherished scheme for raising 

 and levelling was commenced. Private benefactors sent 

 valuable plants : among others Lord Carnarvon sent a col- 

 lection of species of Crinum and Pancratium from Highclere; 

 J. Bateman sent Orchids, and William Borrer, Aquatics ; seeds 

 were received from Dr. Wallich of Calcutta. New houses 

 were added in the next few years, one in July, 1839, and 

 the Orchid and Victoria Lily houses in 1851. A Botanical 

 Museum containing specimens too large for the Herbarium 

 and others of economic importance was also formed. 



During this period the affairs of the Garden were nominally 

 directed by a Garden Committee consisting of the Vice- 

 Chancellor and Proctors, with certain medical graduates resident 

 in Oxford, but in February, 1856, the University put its Garden 

 under a " Delegacy." So much was done and so much more 

 needed doing that their finances were oftentimes much straitened; 

 in fact, had the Professor not frequently put his hand into his 

 own pocket, they would never have got on at all. Quite 



* For close on thirty years the University has preferred dried herbs 

 to a live Professor as tenant for the Professor's House at the Garden, 

 agreeable to the policy of several Oxford Colleges, which ensures that 

 University and College officials shall live as far from their work as possible ! 



