1832.] Account of the Botanic Garden at Sehardnpur. 51 



garden, particularly as such plants as have been hitherto introduced 

 have succeeded remarkably well. Among these may be enumerated 

 the mahogany logwood, sapota, cherimolia, ash-leaved maple, pimento, 

 dahlia purpurea. 



The plants of China, which have succeded in the Seharanpiir Gar- 

 den, and are now in a flourishing state, are the litchee, loquat, wampee, 

 longan, flat peach, and digitated citron, spiraea corymhosa, dianthus 

 chinensis, rosa chinensis, and althaea rosea. The numbers are few, but 

 they are all that have been introduced, and now appear so perfectly 

 naturalized as to excite the wish to make a more extended trial, and 

 to attempt the cultivation of the tea plant, of which the geographical 

 distribution is extended, and the natural sites sufficiently varied to 

 warrant its being easily cultivated. 



The countries in the southern hemisphere, which have the nearest 

 approximation in latitude and temperature to northern India, are the 

 Cape of Good Hope and New Holland : the most populous parts of 

 both are about the 34th parallel of latitude. Though the Botany of 

 each is distinguished from that of the other by possessing a number 

 of genera peculiar to iteelf, yet is there the closest affinity between that 

 of the two countries, and a marked difference from that of every other. 

 Though they possess but few plants in common, we must not from this 

 circumstance conclude that the plants of the Cape and New Holland 

 will not succeed in India ; but rather take into consideration, that as 

 there is a similarity with its northern parts in point of latitude and 

 temperature, and as they have possessed themselves of every species of 

 vegetable and fruit tree known in other parts of the world, some of 

 which are natives of, and the greater number flourish in, India, so their 

 own peculiar or useful productions may no doubt be as easily trans- 

 ferred to the latter country. Of tho>e which have been attempted, the 

 success has been complete, as of the aloes, pelongenium (geraniums), 

 slopelias, amaryllis, casuarina, and cajaputi. 



A view having been given of what has been effected by the Seha- 

 ranpiir garden in Systematic Botany, as well as for the naturalization 

 of plants, it remains to show, that the third branch, or that of Applied 

 Botany, has not been neglected. 



In the agricultural department less has been done than might, perhaps, 

 have been effected ; but here the difficulty to contend with is the 

 want of a population ready to take advantage of any novelties that 

 might be introduced ; still much good might be effected by introducing 

 improved kinds of the seed which the natives themselves are in the habit 

 of sowing. The agricultural division of the catalogue before alluded to 



h 2 



