THE MAGAZINE 



O F 



HORTICULTURE. 



NOVEMBER, 1845. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS 



Art. I. Notes and Recollections of a Tour through part of 

 England^ Scotland and France^ in the autumn of 1844. 

 By the Editor. 



(^Continued from page 367.) 



Kew Gardens^ Oct. 1. — Kew Gardens are situated on the 

 south side of Kew Green, about two miles beyond Chiswick, 

 and adjoin the gardens and grounds of Kew Palace. They are 

 reached from the city by the Kew Bridge, to which omni- 

 buses run several times during the day. The grounds con- 

 tain, in all, about fifteen acres. 



Since 1S38, great alterations and improvements have been 

 made in Kew Gardens ; at that period there was a report 

 that government intended to give up the premises, and dis- 

 pose of the collection of plants to various societies ; the House 

 of Lords, however, appointed a committee consisting of Dr. 

 Lindley and Messrs. Paxton and Wilson, to institute a sur- 

 vey of the Gardens, and report thereon ; this duty was at- 

 tended to, and a favorable report made ; the views of the 

 committee were, we believe, fully, or in part, carried out, and, 

 with the subsequent appointment of Sir William Hooker as 

 curator, Kew Gardens have arisen to their former well earned 

 reputation. The houses have all been remodelled or rebuilt, 

 and are now constructed and heated in the best manner. 



The grounds are prettily laid out, and the arboretum con- 

 tains many fine specimens of trees and shrubs. Among oth- 

 ers, a fine i^etula alba pendula, and a willow from the tomb of 

 Napoleon at St. Helena. The plantations of rhododendrons, 



VOL. XI. NO. XI. 51 



