SIR J. DALTON HOOKER, 1865 TO 1885 53 
artificial watering were not then what they are now. It is no wonder, 
therefore, that of the thousands of trees planted when the Arboretum 
was formed, very many either died outright or remained stunted and 
sickly. The naturally adverse conditions were aggravated by the 
existence of a great number of large trees among the collections. 
The removal of decayed or overcrowded trees has always been a 
matter about which expert and lay opinions have been at variance. 
And this was so at Kew. Landscape gardening has this in common 
with politics : everyone feels himself justified in offering an opinion 
about it without the advantage of any previous study of the subject. 
But in addition to the difficulties arising from a short-sighted public 
sentiment, well meant perhaps, though proceeding mainly from ignor- 
ance, Sir William Hooker had to contend with opposition from quarters 
where he might well have looked for support. In the end, many of 
the trees he desired to have removed either died or were blown down, 
but in the meantime the progress of the national collection of trees 
and shrubs had been retarded by twenty years. 
One of the most picturesque portions of the grounds at Kew is 
the little valley near the flagstaff, generally known as the “ Berberis 
Dell.” Originally a gravel pit, the idea of bringing it 
to its present conformation was entertained as early as 
1869. A large quantity of gravel was removed during 
the following years, but it was not until 1876 that the work was 
finished and the ground planted. 
In a political sense, the year 1872 was a memorable one in the 
annals of Kew through the amount of public attention which was 
^ ^ focussed on the establishment. It arose through the 
publication of the details of a controversy between 
the director and his official superior, the First Com- 
missioner of Works. Not since 1840 had Kew filled so prominent 
a place in the public mind. In 1872 the First Commissioner was 
Mr. A. S. Ayrton, a member of Mr. Gladstone’s first Administration. 
It is charitable to assume that Mr. Ayrton was a well-meaning man, 
and that he had the good of his department at heart. But his 
methods were, to say the least, peculiar. His chief aim in regard to 
Kew appeared to be the belittlement of the director’s position. In 
view of the career and attainments of Dr. Hooker (as he was then), 
that in itself was bad enough, but what struck the plain man as being 
distinctly objectionable was his way of setting about it. The details 
Berberis 
Dell. 
