564 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



A K( iOTTI BOTANICAL GARDENS AND THE FLORA OF 



MALTA. 



By Professor Dr. T. DsBONO, Director, and Rev. Professor G. Henslow, 



M.A., V.M.H., fte. 



Historical Sketch.* — The first botanic garden in Malta was founded 

 in the ditch of St. Elmo,t in 1676,t under the Order of St. John of Jeru- 

 salem, through the energy of Dr. Josephus Zammit, a Maltese physician 

 and Abbot to the Order (fig. 169). Dr. Zammit, to whom is also due the 

 establishment of a medical faculty in the Malta University, occupied the 



Fio. 15'.). — Dk. J, Zammit. 



chair of Botany. Joannes Franciscus Bonamicus and Ph. Cavallinus in 

 the seventeenth century, and Petriis Forskalius in the eighteenth century, 

 testify in their writings to the existence of a botanic garden in Malta. 



In the early part of the nineteenth century, under the British (lovern- 

 ment, the botanic garden was transferred to Floriana, situate between the 

 inner and outer fortifications, on the south side of Yaletta. In 1804 the 

 Pr fesxorship of B tany was offered to, and accepted by P. F. Carolus 

 Ilvacinthus, Carmelite Exoaloeatas, who planted the Magliof and had a 

 c llection of plants f rmed in a garden adjoining his residence at Floriana. 

 \ small marble tablet in Italian f still records the event. 



* r.v Or. T. Dtbono. 



t See Appendix, 1. 2, 3, anil 4. 



