1832.] Account of the Botanic Garden at Seharanpur. 43 



zone; thorigh it is hardly to be hoped, that much success will attend 

 the attempt at naturalizing the plants of European climates. The 

 richness and variety of the Calcutta Botanic Garden are however a 

 sufficient indication of the eligibility of its situation. 



It is singular, and at the same time most fortunate, that nearly at 

 the most northern limit of the British territories, and in one of the 

 most eligible situations for the purpose, a public garden should have 

 been established by the native Governments which preceded the 

 British. Zabita Khan first appropriated in 1779, the revenues of seven 

 villages, for the maintenance of this garden. Gholam Kadir, as well 

 as the Mahratta power after him, continued the same revenue until the 

 time of Bapu Scindia, who reduced the establishment, allowing only 

 the revenues of two villages, with that of a third held in mudut 

 mash. The Marquis of Hastings, with the enlightened views of a 

 statesman, determined, on his visit to the Upper Provinces, that that 

 which was intended only for the gratification of an Asiatic sensualist, 

 should contribute to the advancement of science, at the same time that 

 it increased the comforts of the people, and administered to the tastes 

 of the most civilized European. The establishment was accordingly 

 ordered to be formed into a Botanic Garden. 



The situation of Seharanpur, in point of latitude, elevation, vicinity to 

 the hills, the nearness of water to the surface, and now the facility of 

 irrigation from the Doab canal, makes it particularly eligible for the 

 purpose. The parallel of latitude of 30°, or that which nearly passes 

 through the Seharanpur Garden, embraces in its course a greater 

 variety of interesting country than perhaps any other ; and as tempe- 

 rature is dependent upon latitude, and may be deduced by a formula, 

 simple and sufficiently accurate for practical purposes, it follows that the 

 vegetable productions in the neighbourhood, at least of the above paral- 

 lel, will bear a considerable resemblance to one another; for it is well 

 known, that the vegetation of each country depends upon its climate ■ 

 and that plants of one country will easily grow in another which 

 possesses a similar climate. Before proceeding, it may be useful 

 to indicate, that the above parallel, or that of 30°, leaving India, passes 

 through Persia, Arabia, and Egypt, and over the southern boundaries 

 of Lybia, Barbary and Morocco, across the Atlantic, through New 

 Orleans, between Old and New Mexico, and passing the Pacific 

 Ocean, crosses the very centre of China and Tibet. 



An analogical comparison of the climate and botany of these 

 various countries would lead into too much detail for the present 



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