8 PREFACE. 



Gardens, including those in the Peacock collection. It 

 enumerates 296 species. 



Those catalogued in the present Hand List amount to 

 377. 



One of the most interesting introductions of recent 

 times is the great Natal Tree-Aloe (Aloe Bainesii), of 

 which the first plant in European gardens was raised 

 from a cutting sent to Kew in 1867 by Mrs. Barber. It 

 is figured in the Botanical Magazine (t. 6848). The 

 other African arborescent species (A. dicJwtoma), which 

 had been lost to cultivation, was re-introduced by Sir 

 Henry Barkly, G.C.M.G., K.C.B., Governor, Gape of 

 Good Hope, 1870-7. 



The history of a specimen of the arboreous Yvucca 

 filifera of North-East Mexico is sufficiently remarkable 

 to deserve notice. "The trunk was sent to Kew in 

 October 1888, by Mr. C. G. Pringle, through Professor 

 Sargent. When it arrived at Kew it appeared to be 

 quite dead, and was accordingly placed in Museum 

 No. III. After remaining there two years it put 

 out rudimentary leaves and an inflorescence, and on 

 being transferred to the Temperate House these were 

 fully developed in September 1890." Unfortunately, 

 after this effort, it finally succumbed. It is figured in 

 the Bot Mag. (t. 7197). 



Palms. 



Palms form an order of plants which is conspicuously 

 distinct from all others. Their salient characters are 

 indeed familiar at a glance. The majority are natives 

 of the Tropics, and therefore in this country require a 



