Kew Gardens. 65 



so as to have a succession of kinds from 

 May to Michaelmas, and also to the more 

 successful propagation of the vine. 



Several publications have appeared in 

 connection with the gardens at Kew. The 

 most noticeable is the Hortus Kewensis, first 

 printed in 1763. At least, that is the earliest 

 date given by Watt in Mv$> Bibliotheca. But 

 of course the immense development which 

 these fine public gardens have experienced 

 under the Hookers, renders such descriptions 

 imperfect and obsolete. Nor is there any 

 special account at present procurable of 

 the kindred establishments at Chiswick 

 and Regent's Park. 



In an essay dedicated to the literary 

 rather than to the technical aspect of the 

 present subject, the labours of such men as 

 Gibson, Kent, and Capability Brown can 

 hardly be treated sufficiently at large to do 

 justice to them or the theme itself. Gibson 

 enters into my plan so far that he wrote an 

 account of the gardens near London in 1691 

 first printed in the twelfth volume of Archczo- 

 logia. 



