292 Calcutta Garden. 



at home, should be with us in the plains of India of such difficult 

 management." 



Loddige's list of Orchideae embraces 1,000 species ; Dr. Wallich's 72. 

 There is no reason why these plants should be of difficult manage- 

 ment, if properly selected. The proper scope of the garden is the culti- 

 vation of tropical products, and there is no reason why it should not 

 be as rich in tropical plants, as European gardens are in those of 

 temperate climates. Why therefore, are so few distributed? We be- 

 lieve that upwards of 250 species may be found within such a circuit of 

 Calcutta, as will admit of their arriving in excellent order. But we 

 know that Dr. Wallich, instead of despatching them immediately, keeps 

 them at the Gardens, until obliged to send them home on sick cer- 

 tificate. 



In paragraph 9, Dr. Wallich states, that the list of applicants for 

 plants amounts to 2,107 parties, to whom 190,000 plants have been sent, 

 including 64,000 plants of Hyoscyamus, and with regard both to this 

 plant and the Mudar, alluded to in the same paragraph, both may be 

 had equally well and cheap without the aid of the Botanic Garden. Dr. 

 Wallich suddenly diverges from the subject of medicinal plants to 

 that of his correspondence with Egypt, Africa, Island of Mauritius, 

 the Cape, New Holland, America, France, and England; and, in short, 

 to every part of the world with which India is in communication ; and 

 he assures us, that most happy would he be if this intercourse were 

 more widely extended by means of steam. 



In paragraph 10th, Dr. Wallich remarks, that "it will be easy to 

 form an estimate of the incessant and laborious correspondence which 

 this part of his duties entails upon him, and which would be far 

 less extensive in other parts of the world, where the business of 

 a man's life, official or not, is less burthened with writing;" — nor is this 

 the only demand upon Dr. Wallich's time; for he assures the Govern- 

 ment, that unless, the Superintendent assumed the function of Ship Agent, 

 he would never be able to keep up the exportation of plants by sea. 

 Our analysis of the list of places to which plants are distributed by Dr. 

 Wallich will shew, that a sircar on a salary of 20 rupees per mensem, 

 would be sufficient to relieve Dr. Wallich from this portion of his duty, 

 and leave his valuable time, now so much absorbed in writing, available 

 for more congenial and philosophical purposes. 



In the 11th paragraph Dr. Wallich is confident, that satisfaction will 

 be afforded from observing native names on the list of applicants for 

 plants, as a gratifying instance of their botanical zeal, particularly as 

 they must pay Dr. Wallich for the pots on delivery. 



