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JOURNAL OP HOETICULTtTEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ August 9, 1864. 



BOTANIC GARDENS. 



The only important change effected has been in the great 

 Palm-house, where three of the largest Palms, having 

 reached the top of the house, 60 feet above the floor of the 

 building, have had to be removed ; this has been done with- 

 out any accident, and their 'places filled by younger and 

 rarer plants. 



In last year's Eeport I mentioned the occupation of the 

 great architectural hothouse, No. 1, by the broad-leafed 

 Aroids, and other tropical plants of fine foliage. These are 

 already growing most luxuriantly, and I anticipate that this 

 building will eventually prove perhaps the most instructive 

 and attractive of its kind in the Gardens. In the course of 

 the present year it is proposed to add to its other contents 

 a selection of tall Tree Ferns, slender-stemmed Palms, and 

 economic plants. 



Measures have been taken under the direction of the 

 Clerk of the Works, to improve the condition of the orna- 

 mental piece of water opposite the Palm-house, which had 

 become very foul during the hotter summer months ; and 

 an arrangement has also been made for a larger general 

 supply of water. Flower-beds have been carried round the 

 geometric shrubberies on the west side of the Palm-house, 

 and on both sides of the semi-circular walk skirted by the 

 Tew fence. Many rare and ornamental young trees have 

 been planted on the east side of the main walk leading from 

 the great gates. Beds of Rhododendrons will be planted on 

 the opposite side of the same walk. It is further intended 

 during the ensuing summer to sink in the ground on each 

 side of the same walk a row of such small Palms, Aloes, 

 Cycads, and other rare and conspicuous plants in pots (with 

 their names) as can be safely exposed. This arrangement 

 will, it is hoped, not only give this part of the garden a most 

 ornamental appearance, but alsp exhibit to the public a 

 series of curious and striking exotic forms of vegetation in 

 the most effective manner. 



The Eeports on the success of Mr. Markham's introduction 

 of Cinchona Plantations in India, and in the establishment 

 of which (including the colonies) the Eoyal Gardens have 

 taken so large a share, are very satisfactory. Mr. Markham 

 informs me that in the nurseries on the sites selected by 

 him on the Nilghiri hills, only three years ago, there were, 

 on the 1st of December last, 259,396 plants, of which 66,622 

 were planted out ; that the tallest plant is nearly 10 feet 

 high ; that two plants of C. succirubra are in full flower ; 

 and, further, that 6,562 plants have been distributed to 

 private individuals. 



The bark from some plants has been analysed by J. E. 

 Howard, Esq., and the results have been entirely satisfactory. 



In the Darjeeling plantations, Himalaya, under the super- 

 intendence of Dr. Anderson, there are SO0O plants, and 

 private applications for plants have been made to that 

 gentleman for the enormous number of 1,500,000. 



In Ceylon, under the charge of G. H. K. Thwaites, Esq., 

 there are 22,050 plants ; in Jamaica, under the care of Mr. 

 N. Wilson, 400 ; and in Trinidad, under Dr. Cruger, 24 

 plants. In the two latter colonies no attempt appears to 

 have been made as yet to increase the stock by cuttings, a 

 method so advantageously adopted in India. 



Steps have been taken, at the request of the Government 

 of South Australia, to introduce the Cork tree into that 

 colony. A large quantity of young plants are being raised 

 in the pleasure ground nursery for transport, and will be 

 sent out in a growing condition, in glazed cases, in the early 

 spring. For procuring the acorns we are indebted to Dr. 

 Welwitsch, Messrs. Vihnorin, of Paris, and H.M.'s Consuls 

 at Oporto, Barcelona, and Marseilles. 



Large collections of semi-tropical trees and shrubs have 

 been sent, at the request of the Admiralty, to the once 

 desert island of Ascension, the upper parts of which are now 

 clothed with trees and shrubs, chiefly derived from Kew; 

 and I continue to receive from Captain Barnard the most 

 satisfactory accounts of the thriving condition of these 

 plants, and the consequent rapid increase of the fertility, 

 water supply, pasture land, and vegetable produce of the 

 island. The Bermuda Grass especially, which was sent from 

 this Garden several years ago, has now become the staple 

 fodder of the place. 



Large collections of living plants and seeds have been 



sent to the island of St. Helena, at the request of the 

 Governor of that island. 



An active correspondence and exchange of plants has 

 been kept up with Ceylon, Mauritius, Queensland, Calcutta, 

 Victoria (Australia), Trinidad, and various nursery establish- 

 ments at home and on the Continent. 



Besides these ordinary sources of supply, valuable col- 

 lections of living plants and seeds have been received from 

 the Eev. C. S. P. Parish, of Moulmayne ; Mr. Hill, govern- 

 ment botanist in Queensland (including a living plant of 

 Bowenia, a new and most remarkable Cycad) ; G. Mann 

 (government botanist), West Africa; Dr. Welwitsch, 

 Loanda; J. J. Monteiro, Esq., Angola; Mr. Hutton, South 

 Africa ; Dr. Atherstone, Graham's Town ; Dr. Tmray, 

 Dominica ; Dr. Hillebrand, Sandwich Islands ; Commodore 

 Lord John Hay, China and Japan ; C. H. Williams, Esq., 

 Bahia ; His Grace the Duke of Wellington, germinating 

 seed of the double Cocoa-nut (which, however, we have 

 failed to rear) ; Dr. Kirk, live plants collected during Dr. 

 Livingstone's expedition, and others in the Seychelle and 

 Comoro Islands, &c, including fruit of the double Cocoa-nut. 



PLEASURE GROTJNDS. 



The principal works to be reported on are the completion 

 of the centre of the temperate house, and the transfer to it 

 of all the plants destined for it from the old Orangery, and 

 other buildings in the Botanic Gardens. These, which are 

 for the most part planted in the ground, have already begun 

 to grow vigorously, and will soon present a noble appear- 

 ance. The heating apparatus works well, and the con- 

 struction of the building appears on the whole to be most 

 satisfactory ; the only exception that must be made is with 

 regard to the opening and closing of the sashes of the roof, 

 which will require more care and skill to keep in order than 

 was anticipated by the builders. 



Extensive plantations of trees and shrubs have been made 

 in various parts of the pleasure grounds ; and large beds of 

 Bhododendrons, and rare trees and shrubs, are now being 

 made along the banks of the new lake. 



The chief contributions to the Arboretum have been — 



Japan seeds, from Mr. Oldham, collector for the Eoyal 

 Gardens, W. J. Elliott, Esq., Sir E. Alcock, &e. 



Amoor Eiver, Chinese Mantchurian, and Siberian seeds 

 from the Imperial. Gardens of St. Petersburg. 



Australian seeds from J. Oldfield, Esq., Dr. Mueller, 

 Government Botanist at Victoria, and others. 



Himalayan seeds of Pines, Oaks, &c, from Dr. Anderson, 

 F.L.S., of Calcutta, and Dr. Cleghorn, F.L.S., Lnspector of 

 Forests. 



Seeds from the Nilghiri Mountains, from Mr. Mclvor. 



Many very fine and rare greenhouse plants from James 

 Bateman, Esq., F.L.S., of Congleton. 



nusEtrars. 



The old Orangery, so long condemned as a house for pur- 

 poses of cultivation, and at last emptied by the transference 

 of its contents to the temperate house, is now chiefly occupied 

 with the magnificent collection of timbers, cabinet and fur- 

 niture woods, from the Great Exhibition of 1862. In my 

 last year's Eeport I described this collection in some detail, 

 and enumerated the colonies and donors of the several con- 

 tributions of which it consists, among which Tasmania 

 holds the most conspicuous place for the magnitude and 

 beauty of its specimens. Though now mostly in their places, 

 much remains to be done during the coming year towards 

 the fittings of the building, and the final arrangement, 

 ticketing, and cataloguing of the collection. 



The additions of importance to the Museum during the 

 past year are : — 



A specimen of Heme's Oak, presented by Her Majesty 

 the Queen. 



A collection of articles (umbrella-stick, knife-handles, &c, 

 made of Laminaria, or the stem of Laminaria buccinalis), a 

 gigantic seaweed of South Africa. From T. G. Ghislin, Esq. 



A Fakir's richly carved drinking vessel, made of the shell 

 of the double Cocoa-nut, together with carved articles of 

 Shola-pith. From the Hon. W. E. Frere, Esq., of Bombay. 



Articles used as barter for Palm oil with the natives of 

 West Africa. From M. L. Levin, Esq. 



Specimens of Pine Cones, Woods, &c, of North Asia. 

 From Dr. Eegel, Imperial Gardens of St. Petersburg. 



