A letter from Dr. Ducarel, F.R.S. and F.S.A. to William Watson, M.D. F.R.S. upon the early cultivation of botany in England; and some particulars about John Tradescant, a great promoter of that science, as well as natural history, in the last century, and gardener to King Charles I.

  • Andrew Ducarel
Date:
M.DCC.LXXIII. [1773]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter from Dr. Ducarel, F.R.S. and F.S.A. to William Watson, M.D. F.R.S. upon the early cultivation of botany in England; and some particulars about John Tradescant, a great promoter of that science, as well as natural history, in the last century, and gardener to King Charles I. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [ 9 ] any. plant extant in the known world, that will not*; with proper care, thrive in this kingdom. When his houfe at South Lambeth (then calledl Tradefcant’s Ark) came into Afhmole’s poffefiion,, he added, a noble room to it,, and adorned the chim^ ney with his arms,, impaling thofe of Sir William. Dugdale (whofe daughter was his third wife), where, they remain to this day.. This houfe belongs at prefeat to John Small, Efq;, who, about.twelve years ago^purchafed it of fome of Afhmole’s defcendants; and my houfe, once a part of Tradefcant’s, is adjoining thereto. It were much to be wifhed, that the lovers of Botany had vifited this once famous garden, before,, or at leaft in, the beginning of the prefent century^ But this feems to have been totally neglected till the year 1749, when yourfelf, and the late Dr. Mitchel, favoured the Royal Society (?) with the only account now extant, of the remains of Tradefcant’s garden*. In it. Sir,, you feem to confine the extent thereof to “ John Tradefcant introduced, a new ftrawberry, with “ very large leaves, , from Bruflels; but, in the courfe “ of feven years, could never fee one berry completely “ ripe. 9. . . ., . . . ... . . . Page 528. 9. “ John .Tradefcant procured a new and great variety of “ plums from Turky, and other parts of the world. 575. 10. “ The Argier, or Algier apricot. This, with many other “ forts, John Tradefcant brought with him., returning “ from the Argier voyage, whither he went with the “ fleet that was fent againft pirates, A° 162,0.” 579° Thus far Parkinfon ; but whether or no thefe-plants bear hi»' name at this period, I can no more pretend to aflert, than that ; all the fpecies therein mentioned are even now exifling in eur: gardens.