a fine plant of the Salisburia Adiantifolia, a superb Magnolia Grandiflora, an old Pomegranate, the Styrax officinale, and, above all, filling up the corner near the gate, a noble Pistachia Terebinthus; at the western end of the conservatory is the Capparis Rupestris, the capertree, in full health, and now in blossom. These seem to me to be the most curious and rare among the hardy trees now in the garden; and such fine and aged specimens are not easily to be found elsewhere.' The Garden is laid out in divisions, in which the plants, shrubs, and trees, are arranged systematically. On the north side of the Garden, adjoining Paradise Row, a spacious Greenhouse was erected in 1732, by a subscription of many Members of the Society. The Library, which is placed over the Greenhouse, contains a valuable collection of works on natural history, a variety of specimens of dried plants, and a curious cabinet, containing many thousand specimens of seeds, the growth of this garden; the whole collected and arranged in their present form by the late Mr. Isaac Rand. At each end of the Greenhouse are two houses of smaller dimensions, the whole of which are kept in admirable order. On the south side of the Garden, facing the Thames, from which they form a conspicuous object, as represented in the annexed view, stand two large cedars of Libanus. It is surprising that this tree is not more cultivated in this country; for as it grows naturally upon the coldest parts of Mount Libanus, where the snow continues for most part of the year, there can be no fear of its being hurt by frost in England. During the month of January, 1809, an unusual quantity of snow fell in this part of the country, which, lodging on the spreading branches of these cedars, and rising up in the shape of a cone, by its weight broke off their massive branches, and very much disfigured these noble trees. Lysons says, that Sir Joseph Banks made an accurate admeasurement of these trees in the month of August, 1793, and found the girth of the larger to be 1 Communicated by my kind friend, the Reverend John Mitford, of Benhall, Suffolk.-7th October, 1828. twelve feet eleven inches and a half, that of the smaller twelve feet and half an inch. Upon being measured again in the month of May, 1809, it was found they had increased twelve inches in girth since the month of August, 1793. The apprentices of the Company, during the Summer season, make monthly herborizing excursions in the vicinity of London, accompanied by a person belonging to this establishment, called the Botanical Demonstrator, whose office is to explain to his pupils the classes and medicinal uses of the plants. In order to aid the enquiries of such visitors of the Botanic Garden who may not have leisure to examine the collection generally, subjoined is a list of the most remarkable plants, which, as objects of curiosity or utility, are particularly worthy of notice. |