THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY 197 



Orchid house was built in 1854, and the Victoria 

 house, for the accommodation of the Victoria regia 

 water-lily, was erected in 1855 by the Royal Dublin 

 Society. 



On the 6th of August 1 849, Queen Victoria and 

 the Prince Consort visited the Botanic Garden. (See 

 p. 279.) 



A considerable amount of friction occurred between 

 the Government and the Society in 1861, on the ques- 

 tion of opening the Garden on Sundays, a step which 

 the Society resisted, and the grant of £6000 for the 

 year was made conditional on the policy of the Govern- 

 ment being carried out. In the end the Society had to 

 give way, and on the Sundays, from the 1 8 th of August to 

 the end of September, 78,000 persons visited the place. 

 The attendance for the year amounted to 133,780, 

 and, notwithstanding the numbers, the Council of the 

 Society paid a high tribute to the orderly and decorous 

 behaviour of the visitors. The grounds then com- 

 prised about 43 acres, and their upkeep cost £1340. 



The Society's connection with the Garden ceased in 

 1878, when it was placed under the control of the 

 Science and Art Department. 



Since that period, it has been largely added to, nine 

 acres having been taken in on the north side for an 

 arboretum, and seven acres for nursery ground, on the 

 south side, nearer the city. As regards specialities, the 

 garden has a world-wide reputation for possessing the 

 most complete collection of sfecies of orchids in exist- 

 ence. It is also well known for its collection of 

 hardy herbaceous plants and Cycadacece, material for 

 study being constantly supplied from its collections to 

 the continent of Europe and to America. 



The herbarium and museum have been transferred 

 to the National Museum, Kildare Street. 



