3i8 



NA TURE 



[July 31, 1890 



on the breast of Cinnyris clialybea, C. afra, C. famosa, 

 C. sonimanga, and C. bicollaris is exactly the same as that 

 which I found in the majority of ornithophilous flowers in 

 South Africa. It is, moreover, not a common colour in flowers ; 

 and since Labiatse, Aloes, Irids, and Leguminosas all assume it 

 when they become ornithophilous, some reason must be shown 

 why the simple explanation given by Darwin should be set 

 aside while no other is offered. 



The Writer of the Note. 



CHELSEA BOTANIC GARDEN. 



THE physic garden at Chelsea covers an area of 

 between three and four acres. It stands by the 

 side of the Thames at the east end of Cheyne Walk, 

 opposite Battersea Park, a short distance west of Chelsea 

 Hospital. On three sides it is inclosed by a high 

 brick wall, and on the fourth you look through iron 

 railings on to the Thames Embankment and the river. 

 Within this area there are a dwelling-house, rooms for the 

 gardeners, a large lecture-room, and four conservatories, 

 and the rest is laid out in walks, flower-beds, and grassy 

 interspaces. It is now too much surrounded by houses 

 for trees to prosper, but one of the cedars of Lebanon 

 planted in 1683 still survives. Amongst the others may 

 be seen, or were until lately, well-grown examples of 

 Oriental plane, Salisburia, Wistaria, hawthorn, black 

 walnut, black mulberry, and many others. One of the 

 most striking features of the garden is a large bed of 

 yuccas on the north. It contains one of the finest collec- 

 tions of the different species and hybrids of rhubarb to 

 be found anywhere in the country. The most valuable 

 portion of its contents is a collection of between 300 and 

 460 hardy plants and shrubs, which are or have been 

 used in medicine. These are arranged, shrubs and 

 herbaceous plants intermixed, according to the system 

 of Jussieu and De Candolle. There is a smaller collec- 

 tion arranged after the system of Lindley, who for many 

 years directed the garden and gave the lectures. From 

 these are sent up the plants which are required for the 

 examinations which are held in the old hall of the Com- 

 pany near Blackfriars Bridge. Against the wall that 

 flanks the garden on the east are nailed the fig and other 

 tender shrubs, and beneath there is a narrow border con- 

 taining Ferula, Verbascum, Acanthus, the fibre-yielding 

 Chinese and Indian Boehmeria 7tivea, and a crowd of 

 other herbaceous plants. In the centre of the garden 

 there is a statue of Sir Hans Sloane, and a tank full of 

 buckbean and water violet, surrounded by rockwork on 

 which grow saxifrages, Hieracia, and spiny Astragali. 

 South of the main walk that cuts the garden into two 

 halves are beds full of non-medicinal plants, arranged 

 in natural orders, another tank full of water lilies, 

 bur-reeds, and bulrushes, and south of all have lately 

 been laid out a couple of beds containing types of the 

 twenty natural orders a knowledge of which is required 

 for the elementary examination of the Science and Art 

 Department. The present rainy season has suited the 

 garden capitally, and during many years' acquaintance 

 with it the writer of this article has never seen the 

 .herbaceous plants look more luxuriant than they do 

 at the present time. 



It would take up more space than we can spare to say 

 even a few words about each of the distinguished botanists 

 who have been connected with the garden. Here was laid 

 the foundation of the classical " Gardener's Dictionary" 

 of Philip Miller, which was first published in 1731, ran 

 through eight editions in his life-time, has been translated 

 into German, French, and Dutch, and formed the founda- 

 tion and model of the many gardeners' dictionaries that 

 have since been written. Amongst the well-known 

 botanists of older date who were more or less connected 

 with the garden, were Doody, Petiver, Hudson, Rand, 



NO. 1083, VOL. 42] 



and Alchorne, and in later times Lindley, Fortune, 

 Thomas Moore, Curtis, Anderson, and David Don. Full 

 particulars about all these will be found in Field's 

 history of the garden, published in 1820, and a second 

 edition, considerably enlarged, published by Dr. Semple 

 in 1878. 



The ground was originally taken by the Apothe- 

 caries' Company in 1673, as a spot on which to build 

 a convenient house for their ornamental barge. In 

 1674 a wall was built round the open space, and 

 the cultivation of medicinal plants commenced. At 

 first the ground was rented, at a nominal sum, from 

 Lord Cheyne, who was then lord of the manor of Chelsea. 

 In 1712 the property was purchased by Dr. (afterwards 

 Sir Hans) Sloane. In 1722, Sir Hans Sloane granted the 

 use of the ground in perpetuity to the Apothecaries' Com- 

 pany at a yearly rent of ^5, to the end, says the deed, 

 " that the said garden may at all times hereafter be con- 

 tinued as a physic garden, and for the better encouraging 

 and enabling the said Society to support the charge 

 thereof, for the manifestation of the power, wisdom, and 

 glory of God in the works of the creation, and that their 

 apprentices and others may better distinguish good and 

 useful plants from those that bear resemblance to them 

 that are hurtful.'' If these conditions are not fulfilled by 

 the Apothecaries, the garden reverts to the Royal Society 

 on the same terms, and if they fail to fulfil them it falls 

 to the College of Physicians. Under this deed the 

 Society of Apothecaries has now held the garden for 

 I 170 years, during which time, of course, the land has 

 greatly increased in value. 



At the present time the garden is used for botanical 

 purposes by four classes of students : — 



Firstly, those who are going up for the preliminary 

 examination of the Apothecaries' Company, in which 

 materia medica is one of the principal subjects. This 

 examination, we understand, is often taken by those who 

 seek places as chemists and druggists, and who do not 

 intend to proceed to the L.S.A. Secondly, the ladies 

 who compete for the silver medal which has lately been 

 offered annually by the Apothecaries' Company. Thirdly, 

 pharmaceutical students. One of the largest private 

 pharmaceutical schools is situated in the neighbourhood. 

 Fourthly, students who are intending to go up for the 

 botanical examinations of the Science and Art Depart- 

 ment. For this there have been about 3000 entries per 

 annum for many years, and 25 per cent, of the marks 

 (30 per cent, being a second class pass) are allotted for a 

 description of a plant and a diagnosis of its natural order. 

 Probably we should be justified in estimating that a quarter 

 of these 3000 candidates live in London, and cannot get 

 living specimens to study without undertaking a railway 

 journey, and of course it is only fair to assume that those 

 who have passed their examination will continue to take 

 an interest in the science, particularly as many of them 

 teach botany in elementary schools. It is only the 

 first and second of these four classes of students who 

 have any direct claim on the Apothecaries' Company, 

 but they have always construed liberally the " others " 

 mentioned in Sir Hans Sloane's deed. Last year the 

 number of admissions by students' tickets, as registered in 

 the visitors' book, was 3000. A course of twelve lectures 

 and demonstrations have been given for many years in 

 summer by Mr. J. G. Baker, and at these the annual 

 attendance ranges from 550 to 700, or an average of 50 

 or 60 students to each lecture. 



The Society of Apothecaries have given no public inti- 

 mation that they are dissatisfied with the present condi- 

 tion of things, but they bear the whole expense of keep- 

 ing up the garden, and reap only a share of the benefit. 

 A Committee has been appointed by the Royal Society 

 to consider their position in the matter ; and last week a 

 meeting was held in the Town Hall at Chelsea, at which 

 Lord Meath presided and Prof. Flower was one of the 



