KEW GARDENS. " "29 



1845 the visitors were : : : 28,189 



1846 " : : : 46,573 



1847 " : : : 64,282 



1848 " : : : 91,708 



1849 " : : : 137,865 



1850 " : : : 179,627 



* The mass of this great accession of visitors comes, no doubt, 

 for pleasm^e, or health and relaxation ; but many come for the 

 avowed jDurpose of horticultural or botanical study; many for 

 drawing botanical subjects, for sketching trees to be introduced in- 

 to landscapes, and copying novel or striking vegetable productions; 

 others for modelling flowers and making designs for manufactured 

 goods. The several schools of drawing and of design in London 

 derive great advantage from this collection, and on making appli- 

 cation they are supplied with such specimens as can be spared at 

 their own rooms. Various objects in the New Palm House, the 

 Orchidaceous House, the Fernery, and, above all, that noble aqua- 

 ic plant the Victoria regia^ have been eminently attractive to ar- # 

 tists ; and the number of engravings and drawings, and models of 

 them has been very great. Every facility is given by the direc- 

 tor and curator, and it has been suggested that one or two rooms 

 might be advantageously appropriated to those individuals who 

 come for the express purpose of copying plants. Numerous schools, 

 especially charity-schools, are in the habit of frequenting these 

 gardens, and they can hardly fail to gain some instruction from 

 their visits.' 



By the close of September, 1851, the number of visitors had 

 reached the sum total of 308,000 ! On the whole, then — look- 

 ing at the data before us, and making every allowance for the in- 

 flux of strangers in consequence of the Hyde Park Exhibition — we 

 cannot take the 'present certain aggregate at less than 200,000 

 annually ; — nor have we the least doubt that a large increase is 

 to be calculated upon. The annual grant to Kew is 7000/., out 

 of which are paid many h amble but necessary expenses, such as 

 taking down trees, &c. &c. Now 200,000 visitors, at ninepence a 

 head, Avould produce 7500/. per annum. Therefore — throwing 

 aside all that may truly be called ignorant clamour and delusive 



Let us call attention particularly to the splendidly illustrated work on 

 the Victoria Regia, dedicated to the Duchess of Northumberland, by Sir 

 W. Hooker himself. 

 3^ 



