422 Botanic Garden forming at Trelolvarren. 



The locality of this garden is within 100 yards of the 

 house, directly annexed to a very beautiful and extensive 

 pleasure-ground, laid out in the old style of gardening. The 

 entrance will be formed by two folding iron gates, the pillars 

 of which will terminate in busts of the founders of the two 

 systems. 



I cannot end this letter without passing some few observa- 

 tions upon the utility which would attend the general intro- 

 duction of private botanic gardens in England, having similar 

 purposes to those of Trelowarren, viz. the joining of the useful 

 to the pleasing. The numerous books on botanical subjects 

 and vegetable culture which daily issue from the press, some 

 of which are of the most costly description, are proofs suf- 

 ficient of an ardent spirit of enquiry, which, were it seconded 

 by practical botanic gardens, or what may be termed living 

 grammars of botany where its theory can be united with 

 practice, the result would eminently increase botanical know- 

 ledge. In fact, without its practice, its theory is a mere trifle. 

 The great drawback upon the practical botany of this country 

 is in not having botanic gardens wherein any facility is afforded 

 to its study. It is true that of its theory nothing is wanting : 

 the whole of the educated portion of the nation can rehearse 

 it as a part of their routine of scholastic information ; but there 

 it ends. A professor of botany, of very superior abilities, has 

 been elected to the botanical chair of the London University : 

 his lectures, no matter how brilliant they may be, will never 

 effect their purpose, unless they are immediately carried in 

 the mind of the pupil to the botanic garden, where he can 

 compare the genera with their affinities, and by self-enquiry 

 make himself master of the characters which form the genus. 

 Such a routine of education, and with it the genius, is what 

 will form the botanist ; any thing else is but a dumb show. 

 It is greatly to be lamented, in this enlightened age, that 

 gentlemen's head gardeners should show such a want of taste 

 and science in the arrangement of their plants. For in- 

 stance, if a catalogue were published of the plants at Syon 

 House (the seat of the Duke of Northumberland), precisely 

 as they are arranged, could it be possible to conceive any 

 thing more frightful than it would offer to the scientific world? 

 Although possessing a very superior assortment of plants, and, 

 indeed, the elements of an attractive botanic garden *, the 



* We presume our correspondent alludes to the state of things at Syon 

 as they were three or four years ago : every thing is since entirely changed, 

 and not a wall, a walk, or a bed of the old botanic garden remains ; the 

 new one is not yet planted, and therefore cannot be criticised. — Cond. 



