Botanic Gardens. 63 



multitudes, and of advancing civilization in most 

 agreeable ways. One of many important functions, 

 which daily develops itself, is naturalizing plants of 

 foreign countries. The Report for the year 1875 of 

 the Director of Kew Gardens gives some idea of the 

 extent to which interchange of plants and seeds 

 takes place between Botanic Gardens of this coun- 

 try and Gardens of the continent of Europe, and 

 of Asia, Africa, America, Australia, and New Zea- 

 land. 



Volumes might be devoted to even sketch what is 

 a-doing in Botanic Gardens with which I am myself 

 acquainted ; but there are many particular plants 

 which are now so interesting, for trial out of doors, 

 that I may mention a few of them here. And 

 cheapness of glass, and large introduction of foreign 

 plants, enable thousands of persons to try experi- 

 ments which heretofore were confined to such gar- 

 dens as we here speak of, and a few wealthy 

 individuals. Palms, and a few kindred groups, are 

 amongst the first plants to which I invite attention, 

 both from peculiarity of their foliage, and from the 

 little that has yet been done in growing any of the 

 few hardy kinds as permanent ornaments out of 

 doors amongst us. When Pliny wrote about intro- 

 duction of a few kinds into Italy, it was thought 

 that only in tropical climates would any of them 

 mature fruit ; but in the collection of my friend 

 Mr. Edward Cecil Guinness are strong young plants 

 grown from seed which I saw gathered, and was 



