KEW GARDENS

Hokitika Guardian, 28 July 1931, Page 8

KEW GARDENS

im ALLAN'S IMBRESSfOXS. WORK FOR THE EMPIRE. Those who were present at tlie annual melting of the 'Wellington 'Horucultural Society recently listened to a delightful lecture', illustrated by many lantern slides, given by Dr H. H. Allan, “Some Impressions of Kew Oardens.'’ i)r Allan-, who is attached to the Uovernmeiit Plant Res.arch Station at Palmerston North,. went .Home last year to represent the Dominion at the World Botantical Conference at Cambridge, and spent some weeks at Kew in investigation work, in the course of which very substantial results, from a botantical and scientific point of view, were accomplished by him. Dr Allan traced the development of Kew Gardens from a small beginning in 1760 to their present great expanse, and their development as the Mecca ol the world’s botanists, wherein one might spend a pleasant afternoon, might give an hour’s study to a particular subject, a day’s study or a month's study, a place, too, where problems of the first importance to the industries of the Empire were given close and scientific attention. The lantern slides illustrated well the wonderful variety of activity and interest described by Dr Allan, and the beauties as well as the scientific work carried on at Kew Gardens. He mentioned several typical 'New Zealand trees and plants, most of them grown under cover as the climate was too severe for them in the open, and said that lie had been asked to check up the labels. Hi a good many cases these were incorrect, hut he had had a good deal of difficulty in convincing some of the workmen that that could he so, for, they said, the labels had been there for thirty years, and the names had grown up with the trees. Many of the slides were prepared to give a general idea of the layout of the great gardens, and the variety shown was truly astonishing, from typical bamboo and cane groves, transplanted from thousands of miles, to wild patches of old England, daffodil covered forest beds, an expanse of bluebells, a formal garden, a palm house. Dr Allan told a nice story of London’s ’Arrv and ’Arriett looking up at a 30ft palm, and of ’Arnett's astonish- I ment and admiration ; “Lumme, look at tlie aspidisteras, ’Arty!" 'Slides showing some of the trees of the original garden, dating hack to the eighteenth century, said Dr Allan, showed how these- had maintained their health and growth, though foreign to the soil. TWO POINTS OF VIEW. One of the coloured slides was of a recently developed orchid, a gorgeous j thing of flame and ruby. Often, said the lecturer, the botanist deplored that the horticulturalist was not a scientist, but, looking upon such developments of plant life, he sometimes thought that perhaps the scientist had the wrong point of view, for while the scientist talked much of the evolution of types, the horticulturist achieved something.

Gr°at as was the scientific interest of the work at Kew Hardens, and great as was their attractiveness to many thousands of people who simply went there to enjoy them, said Dr Allan, in conclusion, the final impression winch he wished to leave with the audience was that which was conveyed by the late Mr Joseph Chamberlain, when, speaking of the practical and research work carried on there, he had sa’d th °t some of England’s most important colonies owed whatever prosperity they possessed to the knowledge and interest in them taken by the authorities at Kew Gardens. Xot only was Kew Gardens a place of industry from a scientific point of view, hut it was a place devot d to helping the Empire to the best of its ability, and that was a very great best.