38 



The following is tlie letter referred to : — 



" I enclose a, rough sketch of our Class- ground. A sym- 

 metrical figure has been chosen Iq order to a:fford an oversight 

 over the whole. 



" In the middle of the main walk a large basin with a 

 fountain is built, which contains the aquatic plants of the 

 Orders of the Nymphseaceae, Yallisneriacese, Butomacese, 

 Alismacese, &c. 



" On both sides of this main walk extend the Mono- 

 cotyledonous plants. 



"The Class-ground rei)resents 130 Orders by 750 Genera. 

 Every Order is represented by from four to twelve 

 Gi-enera. 



" The sequence of the Classes and Orders followed is that 

 of the late Professor Adrien de Jussieu, son of Antoine- 

 Laurent de Jussieu, the founder of the Natural Order 

 of Plants. 



" Every Order is divided from the other by a strip of green 

 turf, bordered by narrow bricks, to prevent the spreading of 

 the grass in the beds. 



" Classes and Orders are written in conspicuous white 

 letters on large square iron labels painted black ; the names 

 of the plants on smaller labels of the same colour. Only the 

 sub-classes of the Dicotyledons are noted on the labels, viz., 

 Polypetalee, Monopetala), Monochlamydese, and G-ymnosper- 

 mese, &c., with an abbreviated explanation of the meaning 

 of these names. 



" It is almost an impossibility to lay out a system ground 

 properly ; it will and must be always deficient in complete- 

 ness, especially in cooler climates. The representatives of a 

 good many Orders being solely troj^ical plants, such Orders 

 cannot be always represented. Another difficulty is also the 

 selecting and grouping of the Genera of each Order, as some 

 become large umbrageous trees, while others are only 

 small shrubs, or 2:)erennials, and thus one will outgrow 

 the other. 



" I am sorry I have not one copy left of the plan of the 

 Garden published in 1873. 



" Hoping that this rough sketch will be of some nse 

 to you. 



" T. SCHOMBURGK, 



" Director." 



