Am.  Jour.  Pharm.) 
January,  1906.  J 
London  Botanic  Gardens. 
The  Temperate  House. — This  building  consists  of  several  di; 
tinct  divisions,  as  shown  in  the  accompanying  plan  : 
SOUTH 
WING 
SOUTH 
a 
OCTAGON 
CENTRAL. 
BLOCK 
NORTH 
O 
NORTH 
W/NG 
OCTAGON 
The  two  octagons  were  completed  in  1 86 1  and  the  central  block  in 
1862.  The  north  wing  was  added  in  1897  and  the  south  wing  in 
1899.  The  principal  feature  of  the  central  block  is  the  Australian 
collection  which  formerly  occupied  the  old  Orangery  (now  Museum 
III)  and  a  lean-to  house  located  immediately  to  the  left  of  the  present 
Succulent  House.  This  collection  was  subsequently  removed  to  the 
conservatory  near  the  main  gate,  and  finally  deposited  in  the 
present  building  in  1862,  where  it  has  since  remained.  There  are 
few  plants  of  interest  here  that  have  not  already  been  mentioned, 
but  reference  must  be  made  to  the  collection  of  Eucalypti,  among 
which  Eucalyptus  globulus,  Labill.,  the  species  yielding  official 
Eucalyptus  oil,  is  represented.  Quillaja  Saponaria,  Molina,  the 
soap-bark  tree,  and  Olea  Europcea,  L.,  of  considerable  size,  are  also 
grown  in  this  collection.  The  northern  octagon  is  used  principally 
for  the  display  of  ornamental  plants  and  the  southern  as  an  orangery. 
The  north  wing  is  devoted  to  the  cultivation  of  rhododendrons  and 
camellias,  while  the  south  wing,  heated  to  a  temperature  intermediate 
between  that  of  the  remainder  of  the  building  and  of  the  Palm 
House,  contains  numerous  Mexican  plants  and  is  hence  known  as 
the  Mexican  House.  It  is,  however,  more  especially  of  interest  to 
us  on  account  of  a  number  of  large  specimens  of  medicinal  plants 
for  which  its  temperature  is  well  adapted.  Especially  prominent 
among  these  are  the  cinchonas  and  plants  producing  india-rubber. 
[  To  be  continued.'] 
