i88 
NATURE NOTES. 
The inhabitants of Kew and Richmond, supported by the local 
papers, showed much enthusiasm ; public meetings were held ; 
the public press took the matter up, and it was finally brought 
before Parliament, backed by a petition with 25,000 signatures. 
That the proposal met was negatived in the Commons can 
surprise no one who was aware of the extraordinary exer- 
tions ^vhich w'ere made by the Kew authorities to influence the 
opinion of Parliament. A memorial signed by a number of 
scientific men was widely circulated, and in this the case 
against the opening was stated in so plausible a manner that the 
result could hardly be doubtful. At the same time public 
feeling was equally strong in favour of the opening, and as a 
result the Gardens w^ere, and have ever since been, opened at 
10 a.m. on Bank Holidays. 
Those who wish to study the history of the proceedings at 
that time will find them fully recorded in the columns of the 
Garden for 1878, w'here the various objections advanced are ably 
answered. Kor must it be supposed that scientific botanists, 
notwithstanding the great influence of Sir Joseph Hooker, the then 
Director of the Gardens, were unanimous in opposing the public 
desire. In the Journal of Botany for the same year, then edited by 
Dr. Trimen, the present Director of the Ce}don Botanic Gardens, 
will be found a temperately expressed, but decided, opinion in 
favour of opening. The chief reason given against it, says Dr. 
Trimen, is “that it would seriously interfere with the strictly scien- 
tific work of the Gardens which is carried on during the morning. 
If such a result were likely to follow the public opening of the Gar- 
dens it would be, in our opinion, a sufficient reason for refusing to 
make the change, but we are convinced that the danger is wholly 
in apprehension. Besides the officials themselves, we believe we 
are not wrong in saying that the number of persons engaged in any 
definite scientific work in the Gardens at Kew isexceedingl}' small. 
It is obviously undesirable that everybody else should suffer in 
order that half a dozen artists and experimenters in fertilisation 
may be undisturbed. What more easy than to rail off any spot 
(it is not asked to have the houses open) where special work is 
going on? Besides, there is the Jodrell Laboratory in the 
Gardens, built expressly for the use of the very persons in whose 
interests it is sought to continue to keep the whole of the Gardens 
closed till the afternoon. Wishing, as every botanist must do, 
to see the utility of the magnificent Gardens at Kew increased, 
we cannot but think that their early opening is much to be 
desired on behalf of a large class of deserving persons not likely 
to abuse the privilege.” 
^^’e have never understood why the Kew Gardens Public 
Rights Defence Association, which was established to bring the 
matter to a successful issue, suddenly ceased its efforts and came 
to an untimely end. The long name may have had something to 
do with it ; any Avay, the movement came to a standstill, and 
beyond an occasional grumble and a question in Parliament last 
