30 ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW 
houses are now situated, still retains its old name of “ Melon Yard.” 
In 1839, Lord Surrey — who, as Lord Steward, had then control of 
Kew — evidently made up his mind to develop the strictly utilitarian 
side of the establishment to the detriment of that which was botanical. 
For the purpose of arranging matters, he paid frequent visits to the 
Botanic Garden, “ always accompanied by the kitchen gardener.” 
John Smith, then foreman of the Botanic Garden, who, we can well 
imagine, watched their peregrinations with no amiable eye, gives 
the following account of this episode in his “Records of Kew” : — “It 
became known that it was Lord Surrey’s intention to convert the 
greenhouses and pits [of the Botanic Garden] into vineries and pine- 
stoves, and that the plants had been offered to the Horticultural 
Society for their garden at Chiswick, and also to the Royal Botanic 
Society at Regent’s Park ; but the offer was in both cases declined. 
The vinery scheme was, however, intended to be carried out, and 
on February 18th, 1840, the kitchen gardener informed me that he 
had received instructions from Lord Surrey to take possession of 
the Botany Bay House and convert it as soon as possible into a vinery, 
and that the Cape House was to follow ; and to enable him to do so 
he had to destroy the plants. This becoming known to the public, 
led to articles in the public journals, condemning the scheme as 
being a disgrace to the nation. This had the desired effect, and 
Lord Surrey’s scheme was abandoned.” 
Kew has hardly ever lacked, since its foundation in 1760, 
powerful friends at Court and disinterested helpers in every section 
of the community. The science of botany allied to 
of Bedford ar ^ horticulture is so fascinating, and attracts 
so general a sympathy, that one would scarcely expect 
it otherwise. First among the helpers in point of time were Lord 
Bute and Sir Joseph Banks, and now, eighty years afterwards, at 
the most critical stage of its history, it had an unobtrusive but 
potent friend in John, sixth Duke of Bedford. The Duke was an 
ardent lover and patron of botany, and cultivated in his gardens at 
Woburn large collections of plants, scientifically arranged and named. 
Under his direction several valuable works were published, most 
notable of which was a monograph on willows. He had for many 
years hoped to see Kew transformed into an establishment worthy 
of the country, and now that Lindley’s report had awakened the 
public to the national advantages of a properly organised botanic 
