Subsérie 3 - Seed and Plant Donation Summaries by year

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Set of printed / published and transcript summaries of donations of plants and seeds to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh dating to between 1855 and 1890 (incomplete).

The 1870 pamphlet contains the following information:
ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN OF EDINBURGH.
In issuing the usual list of Donations to the Garden, the Regius Keeper begs to subjoin the following particulars :ㅡ
The Botanic Garden of Edinburgh is one of the oldest establishments of this kind, having been founded in 1670. It was used for the purpose of Teaching by the Professor of Botany in the University of Edinburgh in the year 1676. Since that time it has undergone many changes, both as regards its situation and extent. It now contains 27.5 Scotch acres of ground. The Garden is constantly used for instruction in Botany. The Botanical School is the largest in Britain. The number of pupils who attended the Lectures last summer (1870) amounted to 283, besides those who attended the popular class for ladies. In addition to the daily lectures, demonstrations are given in the hot-houses and in the open ground of the Garden; and facilities are afforded for practical investigation, to all students who desire to carry on researches into the structure and physiology of plants. A special room and microscopes are provided for instruction in Histological Botany. There is a Class Museum, open daily to the public, which contains specimens and models for illustrating the lectures. There is also a large Herbarium which is open for consultation, -the specimens being arranged so as to illustrate the Floras of different countries, The Garden is open free to the public every lawful day, during summer, from 6 A.M. to 6 P.M., and during winter, from daylight to dusk. For the benefit of the working classes it is also open to a late hour on Saturdays during summer. The number of visitors during the year 1870 amounted to 63,521. The Garden is laid out specially for teaching, and a large portion of the ground is occupied with plants arranged in classes and orders distinctly named. There is a collection of medicinal plants, and one of British plants, arranged according the natural system.
There is a large collection of European herbaceous plants, and of hardy exotic species, from various parts of the world, capable of enduring the climate of Scotland. There is also a special collection of Alpine plants. There is an extensive Arboretum, containing a valuable collection of coniferous trees, arranged in groups and named.
There are several ranges of hot-houses and green-houses, and a palm house 72 feet in height. The Edinburgh Government School of Design is supplied with specimens from the Garden, and demonstrations are given occasionally by the Regius Keeper to the working classes.
31st January 1871.
Professor BALFOUR Will be glad to receive donations of plants and seeds, as well as specimens for the Herbarium and Museum, from Correspondents abroad. He trusts that his pupils, who are scattered over various parts of the world, will
aid him by their contributions.
New trees and shrubs from British and Continental nurserymen, suited for the Arboretum, will be specially acceptable; and exchanges will be made by Mr M'Nab, the Curator. AIl donations will be duly acknowledged and labelled in the collection.