SOO Account of the Botanic Gttfden 



banished to make room; and, in 1811, another quarter of an 

 English acre, fenced and prepared, was added by the gene- 

 rosity of the king ; who also, to provide sufficient protection 

 for exotics, assisted to erect a stove above 72 ft. in length, and 

 calculated to hold 2,000 plants in pots. Besides this, there are 

 two green-houses, one Cape-house, one dry-stove for succu- 

 lents, and two other small houses. 



The Hortus Upsalensis, first published in 1748, contained 

 descriptions of only 1,400 plants; at present there are cer- 

 tainly not less than 15,000 known to be perfectly distinct 

 species. These, perhaps, have been improperly swelled by 

 varieties; and botanists have to regret that the number of 

 species has been surreptitiously augmented by careless inter- 

 mixture, and sometimes by the silly vanity of authors or culti- 

 vators. 



When identical characters are constant, it has been the 

 custom with botanists to consider this circumstance as a proof 

 that they are specific ; and accordingly they have placed such in 

 their lists as species, when, in fact, they should have been only 

 entered as varieties. The celebrated Philip Miller found it 

 impossible to bring the Z)aucus Carota {Dancus sylvestris 

 Mill.), from its wild slender habit, to the full size of the old 

 cultivated variety ; and, therefore, concluded that they must 

 be distinct species. But, with all deference to his memory, 

 I must observe, that his trial was not long enough continued 

 to decide the question : cultivation for a few years, cannot 

 have the effect of cultivation in all kinds of soils and situations- 

 for centuries ; and therefore, I presume, his experience was in 

 this case defective. 



Our collection consists at present of above 8,000 species. 

 Few of them have been purchased, but chiefly supplied by the 

 kind attention of Danish travellers, and others, our friends, 

 who are in foreign stations. Of these, it is but justice to men- 

 tion, with respect, the names of Shousboc, consul-general at 

 Tangier ; Professor Balke, of Christiana ; Professor C. Smith, 

 of the same place, but who fell a victim to his zeal, before he 

 took his charge ; N. Wallich, Knt. of Dannebrog, Calcutta ; 

 Lieutenant Wormskiold ; Professor Schouw (my colleague) ; 

 the Rev. Dean Dienboll, East Finmarken ; Dr. Rafn, at St. 

 Croix Benzon, East Finmarken ; Dr. Hornbeck, at St. Jean ; 

 Ecklon, at the Cape of Good Hope ; and Capt. Lieut. Hol- 

 boell, in Greenland. 



One fact connected with transportation of seeds deserves 

 to be noticed, viz. that of 1,800 sorts sent from Denmark 

 to Calcutta in 1820, 1,400 vegetated in four daye, with Mr. 



