iv 



in 1768, the number of the Kew collection of Herbaceous 

 plants was 2712, " while Alton " in his Hortus Kewensis 

 published in 1787 enumerates 2824 species." 



In 1846 the Royal Kitchen Garden, "an extent of 14 

 acres or thereabouts, " that ran parallel to the Richmond 

 Road w r as abolished. Sir William Hooker states in his 

 report for that year " several useless transverse fruit walls 

 have been removed, and the greater portion of this area is 

 being prepared for the reception of the entire hardy 

 herbaceous collection ; it is proposed to retain the two long 

 (eastern and western) walls for climbing and tender plants, 

 and new walls have been formed or are being formed 

 with that object. " 



The work was carried out by the foreman, James Niven, 

 afterwards Curator of the Botanic Garden, Hull. In 1853 

 a catalogue drawn up by him was printed, which 

 enumerates 5494 names of species. These, however, 

 include many shrubs, greenhouse plants, and ferns, as 

 well as a large number of plants entered twice under 

 synonymous names. A deduction of at least 1,000 

 names must be made to arrive at the actual number 

 of herbaceous plants cultivated at the time at Kew. 



In 1867 the small Rockery now devoted to hardy ferns 

 was constructed " of Reigate sandstone, " and " furnished 

 with about 300 Alpine plants." In 1873 this was re- 

 arranged and in 1874, "about 560 species of Alpine 

 plants were grown upon it." 



This was, however, regarded as a very inadequate 

 representation of a branch of horticulture which had 

 become very popular, and in 1881 a memorial was 



