5O Gleanings in Old Garden Literature. 



established at Oxford by James, Earl of 

 Derby, in the reign of Charles I. Cata- 

 logues of the plants were published of the 

 Medical Garden in 1648, and of the botanical 

 collection in 1658, the latter under the care 

 of Philip Stephens, M.D., and William 

 Browne, A.M. 



Evelyn was here in 1654. " i2th July. 

 Hence [from Magdalen] to the Physic-Gar- 

 den, where the sensitive plant was showed 

 us for a great wonder. There' grow canes, 

 olive-trees, rhubarb, but no extraordinary 

 curiosities. ..." He paid a second visit 

 ten years later, when he saw the locust-tree 

 and the plane. 



The physic-garden at Chelsea dates only 

 from the year 1673, when it was first rented 

 by the Apothecaries' Company, and the 

 ground laid out. It became their freehold 

 in 1721 by the gift of Sir Hans Sloane, lord 

 of the manor. The two cedars on the south 

 side of the garden were planted in 1683, 

 being then about three feet high. In August, 

 1793, the girth of the larger at 3 feet from 

 the ground was found to be 12 feet n| 



