Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1892-10-08

Il.
He devoted much money and attention to
its improvement. Farmer George" he
was called. in praise by scientists and in
| derision by taxpayers for his pains For a
long time after this monsrch's death the
| gardens sank into neglect. 1t was then
proposed to disestsblish and disendow
them. A protest was raised and the whole
kingdom opposed, whereupon the gardens
were surrendered by the crown and be-
came national establishment in 1910.
Then Royal Kew in name became Royal
Kew in fact under the directorships of
Sir w. j. Hooker, who remained in charge
until his death, in 1865, and his son, Sir
Joseph Hooker, the renowned traveller and
botanist, who succeeded him. The latter
is known to every student of botany In
the world from his Flora Antarctica,"
"Himalayan Journals" and his great work,
Genera Plsntsrum," and the tremendous
Importance of Kew as an international
scientific educator, has been almost who'll
| ly due to his genius for compelling its
work to cover q vast and practically limit
less field.
To family illustrate this extraordinary
| comprehensiveness 1t may be truly said
that wherever in the world classification
of new plants is required Kew stands
ready to attend to the matter. Wherever
new plants are wanted for cultivation these
Royal Gardens will supply them, and this
readiness of supply is not at all limited to
British subjects or colonies. Where plant
| disesse threatens or pests approach, Kew
| will consult and advise. Foreign iustitu-
tions co operate in all these beneficial rels-
/ tions Lists of new plants are constantly
being published. Lists of seeds mstured
here are also printed, and the institution
i wisely goes SO far as to exchange these
| seeds with regular correspondents all over
| the world
This magazine of seeds is nominslly col
| lecttd for the benefit of similar associs-
| tiors which may sometime in part return
| like favors. But any one In any psrt Of
the globe Supplying with a serious purpose
for seeds or plants is not refused. AT the
time of my visit applications laid upon
the curator's desk from Oregon, Texas and
British Coiumbis in America; from Eng
| lish shires, from South Africa, Ceylon. In
| dia and Guatemala. All were to be served
| with equal attention. This characteristic
| of Kew gives the Who'll. world an interest
in its resources, proficiency and increased
4 powers for interchange of botanic knowl-
edge and aid.
How the rapidly increasing population
of the globe may be provided with food
and clothing is regarded as a problem fall
ing within the province of Ksw's suthori-
ties. The splendid success of the cincho-
| ma plantations in India also illustrate the
scope of the work at the Royal Gardens.
| The Peruvian supply was showing exhaus-
ton. Quinine was becoming alarmingly
Il expensive. Cinchons seeds and young
| trees were secured in Perm, brought here
to Kew and nursed, and finally given sue
cessful culture in Jamaica, Ceylon and
Bengal, until the annual output from these
sources amounts to nearly one hundred
thousand pounds. That WAS a direct ben
eft to all humankind.
1t will thus be Ee-n that Royal Kew is
not only favorite resort for holiday visi-
tors, bat il is the great central botanic
workshop of the world; not flower show
nor pretty park merely, for serious and
vast work is accomplished here every year
Aud nothing is too tr,h ng to receive kew's
candid attention. 1t is mater of record
that ''deba.e has been grsyely held, opin-
| ions even have been formed aud reported
| upon such matters as q South African
| cane, which soma gentlemen in those dis
| taut parts thought adapted to fishing rode;
| upon the values of West African palm
kernels as material for coat buttons, and
upon pithy stem which the government
| OF West Indies island believed suitable
for razor strops"
Kew is now training young men to fill
| b ,sanic situations in the colonies. ln-
struction is given in principles of scientific
botany, and the general conditions gov
erning horticulture under differing condi-
tions and circumstances. In the end Kew
is repaid. Nearly all these men, becoming
emigrants, remain enthusiastic correspon.
. dents with and contributors to the stores
of the Royal Gardens. Mr.. Thiseltou
Dyer, who became director of Kew in
| 1886. is only the fifth in a period of one
hundred and thirty years, and is broaden
, ing rather than restricting the field Of sci
entiic inv+ stigation so nobly opened snd
developed by Sir William Hooker and hi
son, Sir Joseph.
The gardens and grounds are extensive
Those portions known a. the Botanic Gar
deps comprise nearly thirty acres, and th,
| pleasure grounds and al aIboretum have al
, area of two hundred and seventy acres
Beyond, stretching to Richmond, is the ole
Deer Park of sbout four hundred acres
? | though only small portion of the latte
/ | is accessible to the public. In front of tn,
g gardens stretches a broad, smooth walk
j | and dotted about the lawns are noble spec
g linens of italian, Spanish and Corsicar
r | pines. At the end of these one sees thu
. | old red b rick house in which Queen Char
= | lotte died. To the left is the principal av
J | enue, with flower psrterres on either side
= | In the distance the magnificent pslmhous
e rises like a fairy palace, and beside it ar
i tiny lakes with fiocks of aquatic birds
f The herbarium at Kew is undoubtedl,
q | the finest in existence. The number o
j | specimens now exceeds fifteen hupdreC
Q Thousand, duplicates not included The,
. fill large structure in the northwest cor
J, | ner of the green, including a great hall
j added In 1876, fitted with two tiers o
l. light iron galleries. Beginning with To-
b Rsnunculacee e on the ground floor, the.
y conclude with the grasses up aloft- Their
n is DO red tape here to oppose the student
e A table stands in each corner for his con
venience. All specimens are arranged Af
e ter the system of Sir Joseph Hooker
4 great work, the "Geners Plsntsrum," 9
8 that the visitor only has to give the mum
n ber attached to a particular genus, and III
n portfolio containing The corresponding
!, specimen is before him in an instant
!, In the garden proper the smaller plant
d are found in almost endless variety. Al
- | together there are nearly thirty thoUssn
q species. Small as ia this proportion TO Nh
: total sum of natures weslih, the know
!, edge, patience and lab1r in forming such
y vast collection are in themselves slmost ir
d conceivable. Think of three thoussn
r species of trees and shrubs, three thousan
3, greenhouse plants, twenty-five hundre
l. "stove plants" a" twelve hundred ferns, or
st thousand succuleuts and fifteen hundre
D, orchids among this bewiIdering collection
q In one compact garden,
re The Museum of Economic Botany wa
10 established in 1877. Its influence upo
trade has undoubtedly sinco been increa
N ingly felt in the two hemisphetes. Ever
= tres and plant known 10 serve a usef'
d purpose is represented here, with illastri
D. lions of the manner Of it's employmeI
or and most valuable use; while the Museul
ly of Timber is a permanent worlds expos
OF ton of woods. The showing in this froi
lg the two Americas and the West Indies e!
a ceeds that of all the rest of the world
,e extent and variety; and every great Anne
e lean city should duplicate this timber e.
at hibit Its economic suggestiveness an
ir hints to wood workers. from the most o
to binary necessities Of building timbers
ne the highes. possibilities in art woods an
ia woodworking art. would prove invaluaol
To the casual visitor the show places
ep Royal Kew are the great pAlmhouse an
ng the structure housing the huge water mai
i'll OF Central Amerits, named Victoria reg
NJ by it's discoverers in compliment TO Quet
yn Victoria. The palmhouse IS veritsh
ms crvstal palace 1t is three hundred al
Id six-tyo feet long and one hundred fr
at wide. 1t stands near the center of q
Oh gardens, with q broad terrace and q
Die lakes with their aquatic aocks in fror
ng Nearly twenty-five thousand feet of b
y -..or ,,;ning a "a rennired for its heatip