THE JAKDIX DES PLAXTES 



73 



crowded arrangements adopted in onr Britisli "botanic gar- 

 dens. All these divisions we have just passed through 

 corer an ohlong expanse of ground^ the effect of which is 

 of course anything but beautiful from an ornamental point 

 of riew j but yet, in consequence of the gimmd being well 

 keptj each subject grown well and vigor ously^ and all the 

 squares bordered with roses and summer flowering plants^ 

 the effect is better than might be expected. This great 

 oblong space is bordered on each side by double rows of 

 lime trees planted by Buffon. Between these are wide 

 walks, agreeably shady on hot days. 



The second great oblong space to the north is entirely 

 devoted to the school of botany, and this is simply a large 

 portion of ground planted on the natural system, remark- 

 able for the correctness of its nomenclature and the rich- 

 ness of its collection. Here again everything is well taken 

 care of and kept distinct ; the aquatics are furnished with 

 cemented troaghs, in which they do quite luxuriantly, 

 one of the singular and handsome Sacred Beans (Xelum- 

 bium speciosum), and Limnocharis Humboldtii being well 

 grown in the open air. The whole is most satisfactory, 

 with one exception — that they place out the greenhouse 

 and stove plants in smnmer to complete the natural orders. 

 These poor plants are stored pell-mell in winter in a great 

 orangery, from which they are taken out in early summer 

 literally more dead than alive. They make a few leaves 

 during the summer, and are again put into their den to 

 sicken or die. The medicinal and other plants for special 

 uses are indicated by variously coloured labels. 



Among many handsome hardy plants which I met with here, 

 and which are deservincj of beino; more lar^^elv c^rown with 

 us, are Hibiscus militaris, Crambe juncea, Verbascum vernale, 

 Heracleum latisectum. Yucca lutescens, flexilis, Treculeana, 

 angustifoha and stricta (all hardy), Spireea decumbens. Iris 

 nudicaulis. Antirrhinum rupestre, Merendera Bulbocodium, 

 Colchicum montanum, Magydaris panacina. Sorghum hala- 

 pense, Panicum bulbosum, altissimum, and virgatum, Epi- 

 lobium sericeum, GundeHa Tournefortii, Dahlia arborea, 

 imperialis, and Decaisneana (out only during the summer of 



