3G8 
ROYAL BOTANIC SOCIETY S GARDEN. 
hothouse lias been erected by Mr. Turner, of 
Dublin. The conservatory, which is to be 
designated the " winter garden," is ultimately 
proposed to extend 300 feet in length, and to 
cover an area of upwards of an acre, the 
average height of the building not extending 
much over twenty feet. 
The principal objects in this garden, are the 
conservatory ; the several plots of ground 
devoted to the purposes of science, decoration, 
and utility ; and the broad promenade walk 
extending across the garden from the entrance 
in a direct line to the centre of the conserva- 
tory. The general features, in an ornamental 
point of view, comprise a wide expanse of 
lawn, pleasingly undulated and furnished with 
clumps of trees and shrubs, a good breadth of 
ornamental water, and a rustic mound of con- 
siderable elevation, about which are several 
pieces of rustic work, one of which is repre- 
sented in the sketch at the head of this article. 
This mound commands a bird's-eye view of 
nearly the whole of the garden. 
The conservatory consists of a series of 
curved ridges, of twenty-five feet span, sup- 
ported in the inside by light iron columns ; 
the centre ridge is a span of fifty feet, with a 
semicircular projecting front. The building 
is entirely composed of iron and glass, the 
latter continued down to the ground, the 
upright sashes of the sides forming a series of 
folding doors, by which the building may be 
entered at any point. 
The scientific plots, which are situated on 
the east side of the ground, consist, first, of a 
garden devoted to such medicinal plants as 
will grow in the open air, and of which a very 
extensive collection is cultivated ; secondly, a 
garden in which a large collection of hardy 
herbaceous plants are planted in irregular 
beds, according to the " Natural System," — 
that of De Candolle, as far as practicable, has 
been followed ; and thirdly, a garden illus- 
trating the " Linna;an System," which latter 
plot contains native plants only, and thus illus- 
trates not only the arrangement of Linnreus, 
but the British Flora also. These plots are 
divided by banks planted with shrubs. On the 
banks in various parts of the garden, and on 
the lawn, a tolerably full collection of hardy 
trees and shrubs is distributed. The orna- 
mental plots, consist of a small oval garden near 
the principal entrance, devoted to Roses. Near 
it is another parterre, filled with hyacinths, 
tulips, narcissus, anemones, and similar plants 
for early spring flowering ; these being suc- 
ceeded by verbenas, petunias, pelargoniums, 
heliotropes, calceolarias, and other summer 
bedding plants. Contiguous to this is another 
episodal area, planted with American shrubs. 
Besides these, and to be regarded as objects of 
utility, there is a plot of ground devoted to 
specimens of agricultural plants ; and another, 
in which it is intended to form a full collection 
of such plants as are useful in arts and manu- 
factures. 
Fellows of the Society are admitted by ballot, 
after being duly proposed and seconded, and 
in ordinary cases pay an admission fee of five 
guineas, and an annual subscription of two 
guineas ; or, instead of this, a payment of 
twenty guineas. Like the Horticultural, (see 
p. 98,) the Royal Botanic Society holds three 
floral exhibitions during the London season ; 
and on a similar scale of magnificence. At 
those held during the present season, the fol- 
lowing subjects in the shape of new or rare 
plants have been produced : — 
JEschynanthits JBoschiamis, is a stove 
perennial, with slender drooping branches, 
small, sharply ovate, fleshy leaves, and pro- 
portionally large, curved, tubular scarlet flow- 
ers, with an orange throat, and dark lines, 
profusely produced from the axils of the leaves 
on single-flowered stalks. A very fine subject 
shown by Messrs. HendersoD, of Pineapple- 
place. 
Torenia asiatica, is an annual stove-plant, 
of dwarf branching habit, ovate, lance-shaped 
leaves, and mimulus-like flowers of a peculiar 
bluish-lilac colour, marked with large deep 
purple spots. This very beautiful plant was 
shown by Mr. Smith, gardener at the Holme, 
Regent's Park. 
Cupheaplaty centra, a Mexican suh-shrubby 
plant, with oval-shaped leaves, and tube-like 
scarlet flowers from their axils ; it is a pretty 
plant for a warm green-house or cool stove, and 
was shown by Mr. Smith. 
Gompholobhim Hugelii, a New Holland 
shrub, of slender growth, with leaves, formed 
of three small linear leaflets, and yellow 
butterfly-shaped flowers. A pretty green- 
house shrub, shown by Messrs. Lucombe and 
Co., of Exeter. 
Gompholobiumsj).7iova,vf as sent by Messrs. 
Lucombe and Co. ; it has trifoliolate leaves, 
with linear leaflets, and large crimson flowers, 
with purple wings, in the way of G. polymor- 
phum, but of shrubby habit. 
Calystegia p>ubescens, the double-flowered 
convolvulus,with pink flowers, sent from China 
very recently by Mr. Fortune : this was 
shown by Messrs. Rollisson, of Tooting. 
Libertia azurea, an herbaceous frame plant, 
with sword-shaped leaves, and pale blue irida- 
ceous flowers, borne sparingly on a tall stem : 
it was shown by Messrs. Henderson. 
Chorozema ericoides, a greenhouse shrub, 
with yellow and red butterfly-shaped flowers : 
this was shown by Mr. Barnes, gardener at 
Bromley. 
Musscenda macropliylla, a large growing 
shrub, with large ovate-acuminate leaves, and 
