Main entry:

McCracken, Donal P.

Title & Author:

Gardens of empire : botanical institutions of the Victorian British empire / Donal P. McCracken.

Publication:

London ; Washington : Leicester University Press, 1997.

Description:

x, 242 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Notes:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. The growth of the empire's gardens. The jewels of Asia. Triumph in the Antipodes. Mixed success in Africa and the islands. The American patchwork -- 2. The botanic stations' experiment -- 3. The running of the imperial network -- 4. Taming the wilderness: the colonial botanic gardens -- 5. The functions of colonial botanic gardens. The economic function. The scientific function. Botanic gardens and society -- 6. The colonial curator -- App. I. Botanic gardens and stations of the British empire, pre-1902 -- App. II. Botanic gardens of the United Kingdom, pre-1902 -- App. III. Foreign botanic gardens, pre-1902 -- App. IV. Foreign colonial botanic gardens and stations, pre-1902.
Current Copyright Fee: GBP30.00 0.

Summary:

Gardens of Empire is the first book which gives a detailed analysis of the foundation, extent, management and achievements of the 120 botanic gardens, herbaria and botanic stations - from Hong Kong to British Honduras, Malacca to the Gold Coast, Fiji to Malta, Jamaica to Sydney - which flourished in the Victorian British empire. There young British curators faced the hazards of malaria, blackwater fever, occasionally a hostile indigenous population, snakes and dangerous animals, personal penury, and jealous settlers who usually opposed any suggestion of diversification from monoculture or of preserving the natural bush for ecological reasons. This is the story of a lost world - where pith-helmeted botanists tamed jungles and supplied Kew with the flora of the empire.

Resources:
Table of contents

ISBN:

0718501098 (hardcover)
9780718501099 (hardcover)

Subject:

Botanical Garden of Tartu University
Botanical gardens Great Britain Colonies History 19th century.
Botanical gardens.
Kolonie
Botanischer Garten
Botanische tuinen.
Imperialisme.
Geschichte 1780-1900.
Großbritannien
botanische tuinen
botanical gardens
kolonies
colonies
geschiedenis
history
great britain
Botanical Gardens, Herbaria
Botanische tuinen, herbaria

Form/genre:

History.

Holdings:

Location: Library main 192600
Call No.: ID QK73.G7.M38; ID:97-B3684
Status: Available