Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-09-01
[FRoM THE EDINBURGH ENcYcLopEnIAl

IFRoM THE EDINBURGH ENcYcLopEDIA.1
Descrptton OF The Royal Gardens IN England.
lie Royal Gardens at Kew, OIL the bank
OF the Thames near London, are perhaps the
hrSt IN The world for variety of plants. They
were originally planned by that distinguished
character Frederick, Prince of Wales father
OF King George III. The extent is about 100
acres. L he surface is fiat ; but owing to the
tasteful disposition Of trees and shrubs, the
grounds exhibit considerable variety of see.
nery. They are entirely surrounded by woods,
amidst which rises pagOda, or Chinese tenn.
pie TO the height of loo feet this was designed
by sir William Chambers, who afterwards
published description of the gardens and
palace OF Kew, i'll folio. The exotic garden
was established about the year 1909, after the
Princes death, chiefly by the influence Of the
MARQUIS OF Butte, great encOurager OF Bota-
ny and gardening. lie placed il under the
care Of MIR. William Alton, WHO had long been
assistant TO the famous Philip Miller at Chel-
sea. The principal green house aud oTangery
IS 10 feet long, % high, ard 30 broad. About
1871 large green house, 40 feet long, Was e.
recttd Tor the reception of AiIi0an aud Cape
plants only. There are ~ other hot houses of
various descriptions. Adding together the
length otail the hot houses, the garden CON
taits no fewer than $50 ct in length of glass
aud besides ihiSabOut one half the houses have
covered borders in trout, for the protection of
different kinds of bulbs, aud Alpine plants dur
ing winter. One OF tie not houses is apprU-
pri1ted to The palm aud fern tribe, displaying
the gigantic species Cf warm climates, almost
iB Their native InNuriapce and beauty. Ano-
ther IS devoted to the plants of New Holland
which have d character of foliage, peculiar
10 themselves, that the botanical visitor
finds himself suddenly carried, as il were, into
new would. a third contains chiefly the
plants of CbIua, aud of these the collection is
very rich, magnificent assortment having
some years ago been procured from Canton
accompanied by Chiaese gardener to take
care OF them. "A catalogue Ofthe plants of the
garden, entitled HOrtus Reuensis' was first
published in i76S by DIR. Hill A more scien.
tlilc work, under the same title, was given TO
the public IN 1850 by MIR. Alton, the sHperiu-
tcndent, assisted by DIR. Solander; this ex.
tcuded to three volumes octave. Between
1910 and 1913 an improved aud enlarged edi
ton, in five volumes octave, was publ she'd by
MIR. William Townsend Alton, who had sue
ceeded his father !Ie was assisted IN the first
three volumes by tic late Mir DTyauder, and
after the death OF that botanist, IN the remain.
ing two volumes. by MIR. Robert Brown, author
OF the PrOdomus Fiore NOvie HOilandia.,"
and Justly considered a. one OF the very Grst
b0iani,is Of fhe age.
Tue Royal Gardens at Hampton Court were
laid out by london and Wise, nursery men aud
gardeners OF great eIninence IN the reign Of
Mug William. a labyrinih an The wilderness
quarter, and some other remains Of the Old
style are here still 10 be seen, having IN some
strange way escaped, during the revolutions
Of taste, ahd the dcsolaiias Improvements Of
| Kent and ligOTu. The ~iadlus walks Of the