134 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
9 
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW, SURREY, 
ENGLAND, IV. 
ADMINISTRATION. 
Contributions to botanical science from Kew in the 
form of monographs, floras, indices, physiological and 
economic exposition, etc., are so numerous that to dilate 
on them here would be but supererogation. It is, never- 
theless, necessary in mentioning administration, to point 
out the role Kew plays in foreign botanic gardens. In 
developing the vast empire of Great Britain it is obvi- 
ous that two of its greatest resources lie in its mineral 
and vegetable wealth. To the latter, and that which 
only concerns us here, Kew has been very potent in in- 
fluencing its drift. While Kew does not control the 
distant botanic establishments absolutely, she has vested 
in her by a decree of Parliament more than half a cen- 
tury ago, the chief authority in everything pertaining to 
the botanical science of the Empire. The position to 
which Kew has worked itself is such as to give the gov- 
ernment unlimited confidence in her and she is there- 
fore regularly consulted concerning them and frequently 
called upon to select suitable heads for the various de- 
partments abroad to develop the industries in which 
vegetable life plays a part. Pier assistance in prepar- 
ing the various floras of the possessions is instanced as 
one direction of her labor. Her efficiency enables hor- 
ticulture to be served in certain directions as elsewhere 
impossible. Altogether she thus holds sway over some 
fifty botanical establishments of three different kinds: 
“botanic departments,” “botanic gardens” and “botanic 
stations,” the first comprising a number of establish- 
ments under a governing director who is located at the 
seat of government. Subordinates in the various locali- 
ties under his jurisdiction are known as “superinten- 
dents” or “curators.” 
An annual maintenance fund for each of these depart- 
ments may aggregate from ^3,000 to ^8,000 and cul- 
tivate from 100 to 500 acres. Such are to be found 
in Jamaica, Calcutta, Ceylon, Australian Colonies, etc. 
“Botanic Gardens” with a “superintendent” as its 
head, are usually isolated and rarely cultivate over 50 acres 
each with an annual maintenance cost of from ^Jr,ooo 
to ^3,000. Trinidad, Hong Kong, many of the native 
states of India, etc., have such. 
Colonies of more moderate wealth such as British 
Honduras, St. Lucia, Dominica, Barbadoes, Antigua, 
etc., are provided with “botanic stations” — an institu- 
tion of recent inauguration started at Grenada in 1886. 
They are practically trial gardens or experiment stations 
for the dissemination of plants and knowledge concern- 
ing them to the c flonists of the respective domains. They 
vary in size from 3 to 30 acres, are directed by “Cura- 
tors” and maintained at a cost of from ^300 to ^800 
annually. 
Instances occur as at Tasmania when the botanic 
establishment is under the direction of local scientific 
societies which in common with the local government 
defray the maintenance cost. The work of these in- 
stitutions is usually recorded in the form of “bulletins” 
— principally of an economic trend, issued at their seats. 
To-day, aside from directing the conservation of the 
garden proper with its multitude of living plants, are the 
economic museums, library, physiological laboratory 
and herbarium over which the director is chief. 
To assume the responsibilities incumbent to such a 
position and steadily forward with ever increasing ma- 
terial and vast strides the present chief has ably demon- 
stated his abilities to the commercial, horticultural and 
botanical universe and needs no further exposition here. 
When appointed assistant director to Sir Joseph D. 
Hooker in 1877, the present director W. T. Thiselton- 
Dyer. C. M. G., L.L. D., P. H. D., etc., vacated the seat 
of Professor of botany at a prominent College. On the re- 
tirement of Sir Joseph in 1887, Dr. Dyer succeeded him. 
While maintaining the honor, dignity, the prestige 
and usefulness of an institution holding an exalted po- 
sition in the general world of ideas, the present director 
has witnessed during his official term the completion of 
the Flora Braziliensia, Flora Indica and Index Kewen- 
sis all prepared at Kew; the continuance of the Botani- 
cal Magazine; the incep'ion of periodical “Kew Bulle- 
tins” in lieu of the annual reports characteristic of 
former regime, and a host of similar and equally impor- 
tant publications. 
Dr. Daniel Morris the assistant director, was for sev- 
eral years subsequent to 1879 director of “Public Gar- 
dens and Plantations” in Jamaica, where he served with 
distinction in developing the economic resources of the 
West Indies. In 1890 he made a special tour of the 
West Indies, to study the means of promoting their effi- 
ciency to persons interested in plants and their products. 
His report on them was later presented to Parlia- 
ment. In 1877 as assistant to Dr. Thwaites of the Bo- 
tanic Gardens at Ceylon, he made a special study of 
the coffee disease (Hemileia vastatrix) that later exterm- 
inated that industry at Ceylon. To many New Yorkers 
Dr. Morris is personally known through his lecture be- 
fore the Torrey Botanical Club in the winter of ’95 -’96 
on the “Rise and Progress of the Royal Gardens, Kew.” 
During the winter of ’97 Dr. Morris accompanied the 
Royal Commission delegated to the West Indies to en- 
quire into the failure of the commercial productiveness 
of sugar, as expert in botanical and agricultural matters, 
and his report was published as an appendix to that of 
the commission and has since appeared separately from 
the Royal Gardens. 
In 1866 John Gilbert Baker was appointed assistant 
keeper of the Herbarium and was in 1890 Prof. Olivers’ 
successor. Mr. Baker is especially devoted to syste- 
m itic botany and the wide range, depth and astuteness 
as also the accuracy of his grasp as shown in his innum- 
erable publications, place him in the front rank of all 
systematic botanists. A giant intellect concentrated on 
the study of a universal flora shows itself by the nicety 
with which he ferrets and creates new species and gen- 
era that customarily enjoy an unusual stability. An 
author of rare ability and enormous energy, his produc- 
tions are marvels in point of number and scientific 
worth. 
William Botting Hemsley, F. R. S., entered Kew as 
a young gardener and is at present first assistant in 
Phanerogams. He was perhaps first known to the gen- 
