Herbals, Physic-Gardens^ and Bees. 5 I 



inches, that of the smaller 12 feet and 

 \ inch. 



The visit of Evelyn to the garden at 

 Chelsea was paid on the 7th August, 1685. 



"I went," he notes, " to see Mr. Watts, keeper of 

 the apothecaries' garden of simples, at Chelsea, where 

 there is a collection of innumerable rarities of that 

 sort, particularly, besides many rare annuals, the tree 

 bearing Jesuits' bark, which had done such wonders 

 in quartan-agues. What was very ingenious was the 

 subterranean heat, conveyed by a stove under the 

 conservatory, all vaulted with brick, so as he has 

 the doors and windows open in the hardest frosts, 

 excluding only the snow." 



This account bespeaks a condition of 

 affairs which was not at all likely to be 

 attended by a successful issue. 



Mr. and Mrs. Blackwell, of whom the former 

 wrote a work on Agriculture, and the latter ^ 

 a once popular and celebrated Herbal, lived 

 opposite the physic-garden, while the lady was 

 engaged in her work. It consisted of two 

 folio volumes, and appeared in 1737. The 

 preparation of such a stupendous production 

 must have entailed very heavy labour and 



