248 
AIM All YLLI DACE-iE. 
cultivators, led to such great laxity of conduct, that, until 
the practice was stopped by a prosecution, every private 
collection became exposed to like depredations ; and the 
falsehoods, that were told to cover the theft, occasioned a 
great deal of confusion concerning the native habitation of 
plants introduced at that period. It was the narrow-minded 
doctrine of Sir J. Banks, that he could only render the king’s 
collection superior to others by monopolizing its contents; 
and by so doing he rendered it hateful and contemptible: 
whereas, if he had freely given and freely received, and 
made its contents easily accessible to those who were inter- 
ested in them, it would have been a pleasure and a pride to 
the nation. It is now near twenty years since I have visited 
that odious and useless establishment. Formerly I went 
there often, but always in vain, for if I inquired for any rare 
plants, which 1 had reason to believe were in the collection, 
excepting those which, from their size, could not be con- 
cealed, my conductor always denied any knowledge of them ; 
and, if I asked whether I could speak to a person better ac- 
quainted with the plants, I was told that I could obtain no 
further information. The multitude of rare plants that have 
flourished and perished there unobserved, I believe to be very 
great. I owe no thanks to that establishment, but for the 
mere permission to walk straight forward through the houses. 
I must do Mr. Salisbury the justice to say, that be repeatedly 
remonstrated with Sir Joseph Banks in vain on the subject. 
The size of C. pedunculatum and exaltatum is limited, by 
the column splitting into two equal parts when it has ac- 
quired its full growth. That is their mode of increase both 
here and in cultivation at Calcutta, nor have I ever known 
them produce a subsidiary offset. I have had Canaliculatum 
above twenty years, but I have not found it increase in any 
manner except by seed, which they all bear pretty freely. 
2. Bulbo b reciter coluvmari ; foliis suberectis ; uvibelld 
numerosd subsessili. Asiatics. — Bulb short-columnar; 
leaves suberect ; Jloivers numerous , subscssile. Asiatic. 
7. Rigidum. — Foliis rigidulis, floribus albis. 
Var. 1. Sumatranum. — Bot. Reg. 13. 1049. A very 
remarkable plant with rigid leaves, that give it the 
appearance of a Yucca. It grows to a great size, 
though the colump is short, arid, it is not delicate, 
but it yields no increase, and is unwilling to flower, 
