28 



KEW GARDENS. 



aiding the motlier country in eveiytliing useful in tlie vegetable 

 kingdom. Medicine, commerce, agriculture, horticulture, and many 

 valuable branches -of manufacture, would derive considerable ad- 

 vantage from the establishment of such a system.' 



We will revert to what has been done under the present direc- 

 torship. Within the four years, 1847 — 1850, there were sent — 



' 1. To botanical gardens on the Conti- 

 nent, : : : : 1,132 living plants. 



2. To botanical gardens in Great Bri- 

 tain, : : : : 1,155 " 



3. To nurserymen and private gardens, 1Y,616 " 



Total of living plants, : : : 22,625 



4. Seeds collected in the garden and dis- 

 tributed abroad and at home : 4,819 papers. 

 The number of packets of seeds received at the Gardens it would 

 be difficult to state. From Dr. Hooker alone, chiefly from Hima- 

 laya and North -Eastern Bengal, we have had 1532 packets with- 

 in the last two years. 



' A part of the Royal Gardens, comprising about two hundred 

 - acres, consisting of wood and extensive lawns and walks usually 

 known as Pleasure-G round, and till lately occupied as game-cover, 

 by the King of Hanover, has been planted systematically and or- 

 namentally with a great variety of such trees and shrubs as will 

 bear the open air. Already, in the short space of two years, it is, 

 ^perhaps, the most complete collection contained in any single 

 arboretum. The fullest catalogue of hardy trees and shrubs was 

 published by Loudon in 1842, It included of presumed 



Species : : : : : 2170 



Varieties : : : : : 1072 



The Kew Arboretum already contains of presumed 



Species : : - : : : 2325 



Varieties, or hybrids : : : : 1156.' 



It is now ten years since these gardens w^ere first opened to the 

 public ; and the following is not the least interesting passage of 

 this Report : — 



9,174 

 11,400 

 13,492 

 15,114 



In 1841 the visitors were 



1842 " 



1843 " 



1844 " 



