THE HARDY HERBACEOUS PLANTS 



He therefore, who would see his flowers disposed 



Sightly and in just order, . . . 



Forecasts the future whole ; that when the scene 



Shall break into its preconceived display, 



Each for itself, and all as with one voice 



Conspiring, may attest his bright design. COWPER. 



During the Professorship of Professor Daubeny the British 

 Plants were disposed so as to illustrate the old artificial 

 arrangement of Linnaeus, which was still resorted to as a 

 dictionary, even by those who rejected it as a system, for 

 this arrangement afforded a convenient method of determining 

 the name of a plant, although often conveying no insight 

 into its real structure and relations. 



The beds before 1848 were all laid out in parallel rows, but 

 Baxter transformed them into the many-shaped, rounded 

 plots which are shown in detail in the map in the earlier 

 editions of this book. 



In 1884 Professor Balfour found part of the collection 

 arranged according to the Linnean system, another portion 

 according to the Natural system, annuals were displayed by 

 themselves, and there was a separate collection of typical 

 genera. In rearranging the plants for study, Professor Balfour 

 threw the whole collection into one natural arrangement, 

 following Bentham and Hooker's " Genera Plantamm " as the 

 guide. 



British Plants were indicated by having their names written 

 in white on black tallies. 



53 



