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THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
founded in the year 1673, by the Society of Apothecaries of London,
and covers some four acres of ground. Originally held by the Society on
lease for 61 years, the Garden was in 1722 conveyed by Sir Hans Sloane,
lord of the manor of Chelsea, to the Society for ever, subject to an annual
quit rent of £5 "to the end that the said garden may at all times hereafter
"be continued as a physick garden, and for the better encouraging and
"enabling the said Society to support the charge thereof, for the mani-
"testation of the power, wisdom, and glory of God in the works of the
"creation, and that their apprentices and others may better distinguish
"good and useful plants from those that bear resemblance to them, and
"yet are hurtful, and other the like good purposes." A marble statue of
Sir Hans Sloane, erected in 1737, still stands in the Garden.
Many events of botanic interest, and persons of botanic fame, have been
associated with the old Physic Garden.
It was here that, in 1683, the first four young Cedars of Lebanon ever
grown in this country were planted, one of which persisted until as lately
as 1904.
Evelyn records in his "Diary" that he visited the Garden ("the Apothe-
caries' garden of simples at Chelsea") on 7th August 1685, and the
great Linnaeus was a visitor in 1736.
Samuel Dale, at his death in 1739, left a legacy of books and dried plants
to the Physic Garden: in 1862, this herbarium, with others belonging
to the Garden, was presented to the British Museum. Dale's herbarium
contains the original herbarium of John Ray, who had bequeathed it to his
friend Dale.
The Physic Garden remained in the hands of the Apothecaries' Society,
in spite of vacillations of fortune, until 1899, when it passed to the Trustees
of the London Parochial Charities, its present administration being en-
trusted to a Committee of Management of 17 Members.
The role of the Garden is mainly educational; specimens of living plants
are supplied to a number of colleges and schools, the laboratory is used for
physiological work by the students of the Royal College of Science, and
advanced courses of university lectures are given in the lecture hall.
Mr. Hales was indefatigable in conducting the visitors over the green-
houses and the garden, while he gave some very informing demonstrations
on plants of special botanical or general interest.
At the end of a long and enjoyable afternoon, Mr. Hales received a most
cordial vote of thanks, proposed by the President, and seconded by Mr. W.
Cole, both of whom expressed the pleasure and profit experienced in
inspecting the gardens under such skilful guidance.
The party later visited Thomas Carlyle's house in Cheyne Walk. It is.
most carefully preserved in the condition it was in during his life, and
contains a most interesting collection of letters, books, and other relics of
Carlyle.
ANNUAL FUNGUS FORAY, 16th OCTOBER, AND CRYPTO-
GAMIC MEETING, 13th NOVEMBER, 1915
(452nd AND 454th MEETINGS).
It will be convenient to report both these meetings together, inasmuch
as they were very similar to previous ones and some of our Referees
combined their notes.