The Temperate House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

century , with a private individual , Sir Henry Capcl , whoso love of botany led him not only to cultivate the choicest plants of his own country , but to import largely from abroad . At the death of his widow , Kew Houso and grounds wore leased in 1730 to Frederick Prince of Wales , and subsequently purchased by his son , George III .

Sir W . Chambers was employed by Prince Frederick to ornament the grounds by the erection of various architectural buddings , some of which yet remain . Considerable additions wero made to the grounds during the latter part of tho reign of George III ., under Mr . Alton , who published a catalogue of the plants then in cultivation , under the title of Horlus Kewensis .

In the early part of the reign of her present Majesty , a commission was appointed to inquire into the condition of the gardens , which resulted in the management being transferred to the Commissioners of Woods and Forests , who appointed the present director , Sir W . J . Hooker . In 1841 , the Botanic Gardens ivere transferred by the Royal Family to the public . They now contain

sevenfcyfive acres , and are separated , by a wire fence , from a larger district known as the Pleasure Grounds , containing 325 acres . The xihole . extent , therefore , enjoyed by the public , is not less than 400 acres . In 18-14 , Mi-. Decimus Burton ivas commissioned to design the Great Palm-house ; and Mr . Nesfield , the well-known landscape gardenerin conjunction with himprepared a

, , plan for bringing into form these hitherto irregular and partially neglected grounds , ivhich had grown by vaidous additions , and were " without form , and void . " Vistas and paths were laid down , whose lines connected existing buildings , and determined the position of future erections . There are about 51 miles of paths in the gardens and

adjacent pleasure grounds , ancl a lake , 4 J acres in extent , is in course of formation , which will communicate with the Thames . The public entrance on Kew-greon , with its wrought-iron gates , was designed and arranged by Mr . D . Burton , in 1845 . The increasing interest felt by the public in these gardens is shown by the yearly returns of the numbers

admitted , which have gradually increased from 9 , 174 , in 1841 , to 405 , 376 in 1858 . But the most interesting particulars remain to be given . We find by the annual reports of the directors that " the ehief objects of tho GoA'ernment in establishing and supporting the gardens are" 1 . As a place for the healthful recreation of the public ,

gratifying the national love of gardening , and affording popular information as to the appearance , names , uses , and native countries , & c , of an extensive scries of useful and ornamental plants , from all parts of the Avorld , together Avith their products , Avhether as food , drugs , dyes , timbers , textiles , or cabinet Avork . " 2 . By encouraging horticulture and scientific botany ; promoting tho useful arts Avhich depend on A'egetable produce ; supplying information to botanists , and aiding their

publications ; and imparting a knoAvledge of plants to travellers , merchants , and manufacturers ; also by training plant collectors and gardeners for home , colonial , and foreign service . "The peculiarities of the climate of England render it singularly favourable for the growth of trees and shrubs of temperate regions , from almost all parts of the globe .

"In pursuance of this object , an arboretum has been formed in a favourable situation , and already contains a classified collection of about 3 , 500 kinds of hardy trees and shrubs ( including marked varieties ) . " Such a collection could not fail to answer the cui bono ? so often propounded , by shoAving the uses and applications of plants . Itwascommenced b y the transference to this

building of a considerable series of articles of this nature , which the director had been forming during the previous forty years in connection with his own private herbarium . Thanks to the contribution of friends , in a few years' time he ten apartments ( two of them of considerable dimensions ) were full . An additional structure of much more capacious accommodation was then required . This was commenced in 1835 , finished early in 1856 , and was to be seen but little vacant in 1858 . "

To render Kew Gardens a complete botanical establishment , a herbarium and library ( without which the plants could not bo correctly named ) , were long a desideratum . True , the very extensive library and herbarium belonging to the director were accommodated in a suitable building , the property of the Crown ; and , by an arrangement between the Board of Works and himselfthey were thrown

, open , ^ withjiho needful attendance , to all mon of science ; and , in 1855 , two collections of dried plants { herbaria ) wore added as gifts . They now form that portion of this depa-rtment which belongs to the Crown . These , combined with the director ' s own ( under the same roof , but in different apartments ) , unquestionably constitute the most extensive and practically useful herbarium and library ei'er formed .

They cannot fail to be , and have , indeed , already proved , of inestimable service to all Avho are engaged in pursuits connected Avith botany and horticulture . Men of science are continually taking up their residence at Kew , in order to avail themselves of these collections while preparing their several works . Au extensive and valuable collection of oriinal botanical

g prints and drawings ( 30 , 000 drawings and numerous engravings ) , mostly presented by Sir W . J . Hooker , and many of them the ivorks of his son , Dr . Hooker , during his extensive voyages and travels , are systematically arranged in seventy-five portfolios , and have proved of great service to persons studying the different families of plants . In 1853 a building was erected opposite to the

Palmhouse , for the reception of the valuable collection of economic botany . About this time various greenhouses were erected for classified plants . In the gardens , a highly interesting and valuable collection of living plants had been suffering for years from want of a proper building for their reception . The director ,

in his annual reports , had long been most urgent in his appeals for such a building ; and , iu his report of 1856 , he said : — " Above I have alluded to the hope of a new conservatory being speedily erected for the accommodation of those noble Chilian , Mexican , Australian , and Norfolk Island conifers , and the fine trees and large shrubs of temperate climates

^ for the possession of which the Royal Gardens of Kew have long been celebrated , but of ivhich I must now speak almost in the past tense . Some of them have suffered beyond recovery within the last few years ; others may yet be restored by the needful amount of space , light , and tem ^ - perature being afforded . " Many have completely overgrown the houses hitherto

devoted to them ; and the best of them have been decapitated to keep them under the roof of the old orangery which they now chiefly occupy . " " There are two nurseries , one esjiecially for planting the Kew grounds , the other for supplying the metropolitan parks with ornamental trees and shrubs . " In 1847 an old building , formerly connected with the kitchen-garden , was converted into a museum . In the

words ofthe director , " Ifc promised to afford , for a time , the needful accommodation for a display of the various products of the vegetable kingdom ; especially such as are in demand by the merchant and manufacturer , the timberdealer , the cabinet-maker , the druggist , & c . ; and to form , in short , the nucleus of a museum of economic as well as structural botany , which should contain all that was

ineresting or curious in vegetable organisation , and that ould not be preserved nor generally exhibited in the living state . He afterwards again urged the desirability of its erection . In 1859 , the Government granted the sum of £ 10 , 000 towards building this long-desiderated conservatory ; and Mr . Decimus Burton was directed to prepare the designs .

Tenders wero obtained from several eminent builders : the lowest , that of Messrs . W . Cubitt and Co ., was accepted ; and , under it , that firm are now proceeding with the works . The site is on the west side of the great avenue leading to the pagoda . The building will stand on an earthen terrace about 4 ft . high , approached by wide flights of steps at the sides and ends , and will consist of a centre connected with two wings by two smaller conservatories , octagonal on plan .