970 ~ FOREST CULTURE AND 
botanic gardens of Padua and Pisa in the first half 
of the sixteenth century. About that time also such 
institutions were organized at the Universities of Bo- 
logna and Pavia. Duke Alfons of Este formed one 
at Ferrara. Belleval was instrumental in the forma- 
tion of the botanic garden at Montpellier, early in 
the seventeenth century. All these South European 
institutions are still in existence, and with most of 
them the one of our young colony continues in com- 
munication. 
The elder Camerarius, in 1588, described his pri- 
vate garden of Niirnberg (Nuremberg) as ‘ hortus 
medicus et philosophicus.’? The University of Ley- 
den provided its garden in 1577; that of Paris dates 
from 1633. Queen Elizabeth created the first in Eng- 
land at Hampton Court, of which Parkinson was the 
administrator. Bobardt was the first director of the 
Oxford garden, in 16382. The Bishop of Hichstedt 
formed one at St. Wilibald, under Besler, which gave 
rise to a descriptive work in 16138. ae 
Peter the Great, amidst his enormously active ex- 
ertions to regenerate his colossal empire, could still 
find time to create, in 1714, at his new capital, the 
great botanic garden which stands now amongst the 
foremost of all, notwithstanding the inclemency of an 
inhospitable climate. The Emperor, not unaccustom- 
ed to take counsels with philosophers, planned this 
garden on the advice of Leibnitz. The botanic gar- 
den of Edinburgh was already founded 200 years ago. 
Henry Nicholson gives an account of the plants of the 
Dublin medical garden in 1712. 
But why do I enter on these historical details, many 
of which are almost buried in oblivion? Idid this 
