64!i< The Derby Arhoretum. 



As several of the trees and shrubs forming the collection are small plants of 

 kinds recently raised from seed in the Horticultural Society's Garden, and 

 just introduced into the country, it is not improbable that they may, in some 

 cases, be wrongly named ; but, if I am permitted, I shall be happy to examine, 

 free of expense, all the plants, at intervals of two or three years, and correct 

 the nomenclature, when necessary, during my life ; because much of the use- 

 fulness of this Arboretum will depend on the nomenclature being correct. 



As new species of trees and shrubs from foreign countries are continually 

 increasing the collections in British gardens, when any of these are to be 

 added to the Derby Arboretum, it can only be done with propriety and 

 success by taking up the whole and replanting, adjusting the distances to 

 the estimated heights to which the plants will grow in the given climate and 

 soil. It will be better, therefore, to make no additions whatever for the next 

 13 or 20 years, and then to take the whole up and replant, introducing the 

 new kinds in their proper places. 



The most effective mode of increasing the number of species would be, — 

 20, 30, or 40 years hence, to take up the trees and shrubs of the belt, as 

 well as all the other trees and shrubs ; to reduce the whole to a tabula rasa ; to 

 surround the whole with a boundary wall ; to form a narrow border and a walk 

 within this wall ; to plant the wall with select kinds which would not grow 

 so well in the open ground ; and to include the remaining part of the ground 

 occupied by the belt in the present Arboretum. There would then not be a 

 single duplicate tree or shrub within the enclosure, except some of those 

 in the miscellaneous collection against the wall, and those contained in the 

 flower-garden. This rearrangement of the whole would create a new interest, 

 not only by the change in general appearance, but by the many new kinds 

 which would be added, and by the great beauty and interest of the miscel- 

 laneous collection against the wall, and of the bulbous-rooted herbaceous 

 plants which might be planted at its base. In this way the Arboretum 

 might be rearranged every 20, 30, or 40 years, for an indefinite period ; always 

 maintaining its original character of entertainment and instruction, and always 

 kept up to the existing state of knowledge and arboricultural riches. 



As improvements are continually making in the nomenclatm-e of plants, 

 the names should be revised by a competent botanist every time the Arbo- 

 retum is taken up and replanted. 



To prevent the plants from being injured by giving away cuttings for pro- 

 pagation to nurserymen, or specimens to botanists, the curator ought to be 

 forbidden to give away any, except to one substantial and extensive local 

 nm'seryman, and this only upon condition that such nurseryman agreed to^ 

 Supply from his own nursery, or to procure from other nurseries, all plants that 

 might be wanted as substitutes for overgrown plants removed, or for deaths. 

 At the same time, every nurseryman and botanist, as well as all other persons, 

 ought to be allowed to inspect and study the plants at all seasons, and for this 

 purpose the curator should keep in his lodge the copy of my Arhoretum Bri- 

 tannicuni, which I have presented to the Arboretum, and should allow all 

 enquiring persons to consult it. For general observers and lovers of trees and 

 shrubs, the catalogue contained in the pamphlet prepared by me, and sold by 

 the curator, or my abridged edition of the Arboretum, will be sufficient, at least 

 for some years to come. To check idle curiosity and a needless waste of 

 time, the curator might be allowed to charge \d. or 2d. per hour for the use 

 of the copy of the Arboretuvi in the lodge ; but, on no consideration whatever, 

 ought he to be allowed to take it, or allow it to be taken, out of the public 

 room. 



It is to be observed, that keeping the vases supplied with flowers during the 

 summer season forms no essential part of the Arboretum, though it will add 

 much to the popular interest of the garden. If, therefore, it should be de- 

 termined to add to the number of pedestals and vases, this can only be done 

 with propriety, to such an extent as will place one at each angle formed by the 

 junction of the walks, and one at each end of every fixed seat placed along the 



