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Sir William Jackson Hooker . 
after earnestly commending the measure to the care of his 
two sons, the seventh Duke, Francis, and Lord John (afterwards 
Earl) Russell, who was then in the ministry ; and faithfully 
the sons carried out their father’s wishes. 
On March 3, 1840, reports being still in circulation that the 
Government intended to abolish the Botanic Gardens, the 
Earl of Aberdeen in the Upper House rose to inquire if such 
was the case, adding that he considered that establishment 
to constitute a part of the state and dignity of the Crown, 
which ought by no means to be alienated from it. He 
was answered by Viscount Duncannon that there was not 
only not the least intention to break up those Gardens, but 
there never had been such intention. To this Lord Aberdeen 
rejoined that he could assure the noble Viscount that an offer 
of the plants had been made to the Horticultural Society of 
London, and that the Society refused the offer, thinking it 
would be injurious to the public interest that the establish- 
ment should be broken up. Viscount Duncannon replied 
that though the care of the Gardens was not in his depart- 
ment, he had the authority of the Lord Steward for stating 
that no intention of breaking them up now existed. 
It cannot but have been a source of regret with the Duke 
of Bedford’s family and friends that he should not have lived 
to greet this, the dawn of the realization of his long-cherished 
wishes and hopes, together with the announcement which soon 
followed, that Her Majesty had graciously relinquished the 
Botanic Gardens and Arboretum of Kew, with the view of 
their being available for the public good. 
On March 31, 1840, the Gardens, Pleasure Grounds, and 
Deer Park of Kew were (with the exception of about 20 
acres surrounding a Swiss cottage) transferred from the Lord 
Steward’s department to the Commissioners of Woods and 
Forests, the chief of whom was Lord Duncannon, now virtually 
pledged, by his answer to Lord Aberdeen, to maintain the 
Botanic Gardens. But that nobleman being firmly opposed 
stricken with paralysis, ends with ‘ I have written to-day to Lord John to urge him 
strongly not to relax his efforts in pursuit of this grand object.’ 
