TO DR. R. WIGHT. 



xxxiii 



will be that in the flanking gardens. In the centre there is to be 

 a Cenotaph to the memory of William Jack. The situation in 

 front of the conservatory will be convenient for the Natural Garden, 

 every thing being at hand for keeping a constant show of plants up. 

 Trees or very large shrubs will not be admitted, but they are to 

 occupy other parts, and to be in groups of natural orders and classes. 

 1 apprehend however that all my labour will be thrown away for 

 want of time to complete these works before the period of my acting 

 appointment expires.* 



Ground is preparing for a Linnean garden, an expose of the 

 Jussieuan De Candollean system, passing into the Medical Garden. 

 Lastly on the same line comes the fruit tree nursery. 



Instead of having an incongruous mixture of flower and pleasure 

 garden, consisting as at present of borders extending along miles of 

 walks, I intend having a distinct flower garden, and to do away with 

 all the borders, except in particular places. By so doing, and by 

 general concentration, I can bring the whole force of labour, de- 

 sign, and eff'ect, into the centre of the grounds, where all the objects 

 of the Garden will be exhibited in the several departments of sys- 

 tematic botany, medical botany, ornamental and useful gardening, as 

 Nurseries, fruit gardens, flower gardens, and oeconomic gardens, all 

 being kept distinct. 



Have you read R. Br. on Cyrthandreae — grand, just in time to 

 make people cautious regarding accepting the Schleiderean views of 

 placcntation ! Then the characters, reduced to their essences ! And 

 yet Botanists go on giving generic descriptions, not characters, in 

 spite of R Br. The above is one of Mr. Brown's most important 

 papers. 



I am glad we agree about genera. I used to have long and strong 



arguments with my friend about it. And I will just tell you 



what it is, that the hair splitting, and long characters of non-essen- 

 tials, are popular, in as much they are easy, and require no conden- 

 sation comparison or ellipsizing, Menispermese are very interesting. 



• The period did expire before the improvements were completed, but they were 

 again resumed in April 1846, and in a great measure completed in February 1848. A Ce- 

 notoph was also raised to the memory of Mr. Griffith by his friends, with the permission 

 of the Government, in the midst of the improvements he projected, similar to that 

 which he himself raised in honor of Dr. Jack. 



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