RBGE acknowledges that our collections contain historic materials which may contain, either in their content or catalogue descriptions, terminology which is inappropriate, outdated, offensive or distressing. Such information does not reflect the current views and values of RBGE.
We welcome feedback about the language in our catalogues. While we cannot change fixed attributes connected to items in the collection (e.g. published titles, names or contents) we will always consider requests for changes to be made to other aspects of the records in our catalogues. Please contact archives@rbge.org.uk
•Two boxes papers regarding loans and correspondence, divided from 1921-32 and from 1947-50
Royal Botanic Gardens, KewList produced on RBGE embossed paper, bound together to form a book; beginning with Ranunculaceae, there are 330 pages of plants growing in the Garden in 1883 (though the 3 could also be interpreted as a 5); the book has an index at the back.
The book contains numbered sessions of creating microscope slides. The plant subject is listed along with the process used to create the slides and, in many cases, the slides' recipients. According to RBGE microscopist F. Christie, looking at the notes it appears to be plant fixation and histology prior to the preparation of microscope slides for light microscopy. Each part of the plant would need to be treated differently according to how easy it was to slice. The notes refer to the whole process of preparing the slides so for example, some of the samples didn’t cut very well first time but when soaked overnight produced better sections. This information would have saved a lot of experimentation in the future if the process was to be repeated.
The book was thought to By Matthew Young Orr's but his dates at RBGE do not match up with the dates of staff receiving the slides: John Anthony, Jimmy Keenan, Mr Roberts, Dr Blyth, Douglas Henderson, John Macqueen Cowan, Mr Lyle, P. Davies (Peter Davis?), Alexander Nelson, Dr Burns, Mr Green (Peter Green?), B.L. Burtt and Andrew Grierson. The book may have been created by Orr? But perhaps more likey Heather Prentice, Ella Stott, Willie Dickson or Archie McLeod?
The book was an unused 1941 diary.
• Draft copy of an article titled ‘The New Plant Houses at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh’ (stored in the ‘R’ box)
• History and development of the garden
• Accounts, 1764-1876 (incomplete)
• Staff Records (incomplete)
• Probationer Gardener records (1889-1935)
• Records relating to education at RBGE
• Photographs
• Maps
• Papers relating to regional gardens – Dawyck, Benmore and Logan
• Plant flowering records (phenology registers)
• Plant records, including inventories, and registers of plants entering and leaving the garden
Collection of glass plate negatives taken between c.1890 and c.1949 detailing plants and views at RBGE.
Adam, Robert Moyes12x 35mm colour slides in a plastic wallet housed with a blue title card that states:
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Some Views and Plants of the Garden
12 Colour Transparencies (35mm)
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland
The slides are titled:
•Letter to W.H. Campbell form Rollo (8 April 1840)
Rollo, Hon. R•Letter from W.H. Campbell to Andrew Robertson, 10 Jan 1837
Robertson, Revd. Andrew•Note of plants found in Ross-shire by Dr. John Robertson (14 Jul1847)
Robertson, John•Copy of lists of Flora and Fauna (1767-1771)
•Papers including transcriptions of correspondence and newspaper articles (1767-84)
