CHAP. II. BRITISH ISLANDS. 47 



into a new partnership with London. At that time the grounds 

 exceeded 100 acres in extent. This nursery passed, succes- 

 sively, from London and Wise, in 1701, to Swinhoe ; in 1714, to 

 Smith and Co.; in 1756, to Jeffries; in 1788, to Jeffries and 

 Gray ; at the death of Jeffries, to Gray and Wear ; afterwards 

 to Gray, Wear, and Co.; then to Gray, Son, and Brown ; and, 

 lastly, to Gray and Son, in whose occupation it still (1835) is. 

 The grounds are now reduced to thirty acres. In the time of 

 London and Wise, it was thus spoken of by Evelyn, in the 

 preface before alluded to: — "The proprietors, Mr. George 

 London, chief gardener to their majesties, and his associate, 

 Mr. Henry Wise, are recommended for their assiduity and 

 industry ; they have not made gain the only mark of their 

 pains, but with extraordinary and rare industry endeavoured 

 to improve themselves in the mysteries of their profession; 

 from the great advantages and now long experience they have 

 had, in being employed in most of the celebrated gardens 

 and plantations which this nation abounds in, besides what they 

 have learned abroad, where horticulture is in high reputation." 

 He adds, " the grounds and gardens of noblemen and persons 

 of quality, which they have planted ab origine, and which are 

 still under their care and attention, justify what I have said 

 in their behalf." Bowack, who wrote an account of the parish 

 of Kensington in 1705, says, " that some affirm that if the 

 stock of these nurseries were valued at one penny per plant, the 

 amount would exceed 40,000/." London and Wise, in 1694, em- 

 ployed twenty men in their nursery and two women. The fore- 

 man had 12s. a week, the other men had 85., and the women 4s. 

 Botanic gardens began to be established in England about the 

 middle of this century ; and they contributed to the introduction 

 of hardy trees and shrubs, as well as of herbaceous plants and 

 exotics. The oldest botanic gardens in England are those of 

 Oxford and of Chelsea. Evelyn visited the latter in 1685, and 

 mentions, as rarities, a tulip tree and a tea shrub. Many 

 private botanic gardens were also founded during this century, 

 Among these were the gardens of Ray, in Essex ; of the 

 Duchess of Beaufort, at Badmington, in Gloucestershire ; of 

 Sir Hans Sloane, at Chelsea; of Dr. Uvedale, at Enfield, &c. 

 The catalogues of these gardens, in the libraries of the Linnaean 

 Society and of the British Museum, show that they contained 

 various foreign trees and shrubs. Dr. Uvedale's garden, Gib- 

 son informs us, " chiefly excelled in exotic greens and orange 

 trees, for which he had six or seven houses or roomsteads." 

 Gibson adds, " that he understood the culture of particular 

 plants, but had no taste for the disposition of his garden." We 

 learn from Miller, that Dr. Uvedale had a fine cedar tree, which, 



