PARK AND CEMETERY, 
hi 
38. Palmales: The bog and wood rushes where 
palms cannot be grown. 
39. Arales: Arum, calla, golden club and 
calamus. 
40. Potomales: Water plantain, arrow head, 
pond weed and pipewort. 
41. Glumales: Sedge galingale, spike rush, bul- 
rush, cotton rush, &c. 
41 a. Ornamental grasses. 
42 Ferns. 
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW, SURREY, 
ENGLAND, ILL 
In 1861 a reading room was provided for the fore- 
men and gardeners, and Prof. Oliver delivered lectures 
to them throughout the winter, the initial step of the 
present courses of instruction to the young gardeners. 
The excavations from the large lake, covering almost 5 
acres in the Arboretum, was used to form the terrace 
surrounding the Temperate House. At this time the 
joint labors of Sir Joseph D. Hooker, then Assistant 
Director, and Mr. Bentham started the publishing of 
the renowned “Genera Plantarum,” a work fully de- 
scribing and classifying the 7,585 genera, and 96,680 
species of flowering plants. Indeed, the scientific pub- 
lications elaborated wholly or in part at Kew, were of 
the first order, and only possible with the assistance she 
could afford. “Flora, of the Australian Colonies,” by 
G. Bentham and Dr. Mueller; “Flora, of the Cape 
Colony, British Caffraria and Natal,” by Dr. Harvey 
and Mr. Sonder; “West Indian Flora,” by Dr. Grise- 
bach; Mr. Thwaites’ Enumeration of Ceylon Plants: 
“Hand Book of the New Zealand Flora,” by Dr. 
Hooker; “Botanical Magazine,” published at Kew 
since the assumption of Sir Wm. as Director; “The 
Flora, of British India,” by Dr. Thomson, etc., etc. 
M. C. de Candolle, of Geneva, described the natural 
order of Peppers for his renowned Prodromius; Dr. 
Mueller described the “Euphobracese” for the same 
work, and indeed the most eminent botanists of the 
day came to Kew to prosecute their advanced studies. 
In the 25th year of his active and illustrious career the 
sad death of the great Sir William was recorded thus by 
the Assistant Director, Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, his 
son and successor, “Jan. 1, 1866,” in presenting the 
report for the past year, I have in the first place the 
painful duty of announcing the decease of the Director, 
Sir W. J. Hooker, on the 12th of August, and I have to 
add that on the 1st day of November I was appointed 
as his successor. This is not the place, nor would it be 
fitting in me to dwell on the merits of my father: I 
must, however, claim the privilege of paying a tribute 
to the memory of my predecessor, as has been unani- 
mously felt to be due to him, viz.: that, whether as the 
restorer of these Gardens, who by his sagacity and 
energy raised them above all others in excellence, 
beauty and utility — or as the originator and founder of 
museums of economic botany — or as the projector and 
able assistant of those efforts on the part of our Home 
and Colonial Governments, that have led to the forma- 
tions of botanical and horticultural establishments in so 
many of our colonies, in India and in our foreign pos- 
sessions, or as the liberal and disinterested patron of 
private scientific enterprise everywhere, and especially 
among the officers of the army, navy and civil services, 
the late Director of Kew has won the esteem and 
gratitude of his countrymen, and left a name that will 
ever occupy one of the most prominent positions in the 
History of Botanical Science.” 
With Sir William’s demise several alterations in the 
administration of the Gardens were adopted. The 
office of Assistant Director was suppressed, and the 
duties incumbent thereto transferred to the Curator, 
and the Keeper of the Herbarium and Library, whose 
offices were, as a consequence, raised. In 1864 John 
Smith resigned the Curatorship of the Botanic Gardens 
after upward of 30 years service fraught throughout 
with rare intelligence and skill. Sir William paid a 
graceful tribute to his ability and personality in his 
report to Parliament. Smith’s successor was John 
Smith also, the latter holding office when Sir Joseph 
abolished the office of Curatorship of the Pleasure 
Grounds, and consolidated its hitherto duties with those 
of the Curatorship of the Botanic Gardens, the position 
henceforth occupied by said Smith. 
Colonial expansion at this time was vitally assisted 
by the introduction of suitable vegetables, fruits, fibre 
or other utilitarian plants. 
In India, progress in Botany and Horticulture was 
very satisfactory, especially the cultivation of Cinchona; 
Jamaica, Trinidad, Queensland, the Cape of Good 
Hope, each received the expert assistance of Kew in 
determining the most lucrative products the colony 
could produce. The Ascension Island illustrates a 
noteworthy fact; “Capt. Barnard’s excellent report gives 
a satisfactory account of the progress of the imported 
vegetation in this once sterile island, which we continue 
to supply with plants. It now possesses thickets of 
upwards of 40 kinds of trees, besides numerous shrubs 
and fruit trees, of which, however, only the Guava 
ripens. These also afford timber for fencing cattle 
yards. I may mention, that when I visited the Island 
in 1843, owing to the want of water, but one tree 
existed on it, and there were not enough vegetables 
produced to supply the commandant’s table, whereas 
now, through the introduction of vegetation, the water 
supply is excellent, and the garrison and ships visiting 
the Island are supplied with abundance of vegetables of 
various kinds.” 
The onerous duties imposed upon the Director were 
shouldered with a courage and versatility, and executed 
with a taste and wisdom that sounds one’s greatest 
admiration. In 1873 a desire was expressed that a 
more commodious and fire-proof building for the Her- 
barium and Library for manuscripts and collections of 
drawings, be provided. In 1876 a pecuniary allowance 
for such an edifice was included in the usual estimates, 
and in this connection, through the liberality of Thos. 
Phillip Jodrell, M. A., the founder of the Jodrell Pro- 
fessorship of Physiology in University College, London, 
opportunities were afforded for pursuits of investigations 
in Physiological Botany, 4^1,500 having been placed at 
the disposal of the Director for this purpose. Origin- 
ally it was intended that the building should form part 
of the group of buildings containing the Flerbarium, 
but the subsequent risk of fire, in consideration of the 
use of gas and chemicals, determined its site to be 
detached, a decision that was subsequently carried out. 
The Herbarium Building was completed in 1877, 
and adjoins the old building hitherto employed for 
herbarium and library purposes. After some alterations 
internally, the old herbarium was fitted up for a library, 
a purpose which it has since se.ved. The galleries are 
