Botanic Garden of Madrid. 247 



The class of agricultux-e, or rather of agronomical botany, 

 founded in 1807, begins in the month of February, and closes 

 on the 30th October, three lessons being there given also in the 

 week. Although this school was established in 1807, the in- 

 struction lasted only from 1810 till 1811, under the direction 

 of Professor Don Esteban Boutelou, who died in 1812. At 

 my suggestion, the school was opened again in 1815, under 

 the direction of Professor Don Antonio Santalio de Arias y 

 Costa. In the same year the school of medical botany was 

 opened under the direction of Dr. Don Vicente Soriano; it also 

 was founded in 1807, and re-established, like the former, at the 

 above-mentioned period. The garden has not the requisite 

 extent to execute at large agronomical operations, neither 

 does it possess any great collection of agricultural machinery ; 

 nor is there collected any considerable number of species 

 and varieties of fruit-trees, olives, vines, and other plants culti- 

 vated in Spain, except the cerealia, the collection of which, 

 doubtless, is very superior to that of any garden in Europe ; 

 nor is there any stabling for horses or cattle ; but the students 

 are present at all the operations which are executed in the 

 garden, and have a little practice in pruning some of the 

 vines, and performing grafting. This class, as well as the 

 garden, would have increased considerably if the constitutional 

 system had continued ; the Cortes having bestowed for that 

 purpose the contiguous garden of the Geronimites, which has 

 about forty fanegadas of land, with a great abundance of water 

 for irrigation, and a part of the building belonging also to that 

 convent. * 



During the two hottest months there are also vacations in 

 this class, and the students then employ themselves in writing 

 memoirs on those points previously fixed by the professor 

 who is at the head of it. 



In order to be able to obtain a diploma for the course or 

 term, the student must first submit to the examination which 

 takes place at the end of each term. 



The information diffused through the means of the botanical 

 garden of Madrid is not limited to the students who attend the 

 various schools there established. The professors keep up a 

 literary intercourse with the corresponding members of that 

 establishment who reside in various parts of the empire; 

 they answer the questions which any of them, were he even in 

 the remotest corner of the Spanish dominions, may choose to put ; 

 and they send them plants, &c, and receive things from them, 

 for which purpose all letters, packets, and even boxes of plants 

 and seeds, either from any part of Spain, or from abroad, 

 are received free of postage. Besides this, the professors of 



