LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. Ixix 



scientific or economic point of view. Sir "William entered upon 

 his duties in command of unusual resources for the development 

 of the Gardens, such as had never been combined in any other 

 person. Single in purpose and straightforward in action, enthu- 

 siastic in manner, and at the same time prepared to advance by 

 degrees, he at once won the confidence of that branch of the Gro- 

 vernment under which he worked, which was then known as the 

 Office of Woods and Forests, under the Presidency of Lord Dun- 

 cannon. To those in office above him he imparted much of the 

 zeal and interest he himself felt, which was proved by constant 

 visits to the Gardens, resulting in invariable approval of what he 

 was doing, and promises of aid for the future. Another means at 

 his disposal, and which he at once brought to bear on the work 

 in hand, was his extensive foreign and colonial correspondence, 

 including especially that with a large number of students whom 

 he had imbued with a love of botany, and who were scattered 

 over the most remote countries of the globe, and several of whom, 

 indeed, remained in more or less active correspondence with the 

 Gardens up to the day of his death. His views were further 

 greatly facilitated by his friendly intercourse with the Foreign 

 and Colonial Offices, the Admiralty, and the East India Com- 

 pany ; to all of which departments he had been the means of 

 rendering services, by the recommendation of former pupils to 

 posts in their employment, and by publishing the botanical results 

 of the expeditions they sent out. 



At the time of Sir William's taking office the Gardens con- 

 sisted of 11 acres, with a most imperfect and generally dilapidated 

 series of ten hothouses and conservatories. Most of these have 

 since been gradually pulled down ; and, with the exception of the 

 Great Orangery (now used as a museum for woods) and the 

 large architectural house near the garden gates, and which had 

 just previously been removed from Buckingham Palace, not one 

 now remains. They have been replaced by twenty-five structures 

 (in most cases of much larger dimensions), exclusive of the Palm 

 stove, and the hitherto unfinished great Conservatory in the 

 pleasure- grounds . 



It might well be supposed that the arduous and continuous 

 labours incident more especially to the organization and establish- 

 ment of such an institution as that of the Royal Botanic Gardens, 

 and the almost incessant calls upon the time and energies of the 

 Director, would have left Sir W. Hooker but little opportunity 

 or strength during the twenty-four years he occupied that post 



