John Smith (botanist)
Encyclopedia
John Smith was an English botanist who was the first curator at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Kew Gardens)
, starting in 1841. He had first been employed at the gardens as a stove boy (stoking stoves to warm the greenhouses) in 1822. Along with the directors, Sir William Jackson Hooker
and Sir Joseph Hooker
, he oversaw the conversion of the gardens from private royal gardens to public gardens when Queen Victoria converted them, possibly saving them from oblivion. He further prevented the gardens from catastrophic decline during the late 19th century when they were neglected in funding priorities. According to the Kew website, "It is significant that when stove-boy-Smith arrived at Kew, 40 species of fern
were grown but when Curator Smith retired, there were 1,084."
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
, starting in 1841. He had first been employed at the gardens as a stove boy (stoking stoves to warm the greenhouses) in 1822. Along with the directors, Sir William Jackson Hooker
William Jackson Hooker
Sir William Jackson Hooker, FRS was an English systematic botanist and organiser. He held the post of Regius Professor of Botany at Glasgow University, and was the first Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. He enjoyed the friendship and support of Sir Joseph Banks for his exploring,...
and Sir Joseph Hooker
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker OM, GCSI, CB, MD, FRS was one of the greatest British botanists and explorers of the 19th century. Hooker was a founder of geographical botany, and Charles Darwin's closest friend...
, he oversaw the conversion of the gardens from private royal gardens to public gardens when Queen Victoria converted them, possibly saving them from oblivion. He further prevented the gardens from catastrophic decline during the late 19th century when they were neglected in funding priorities. According to the Kew website, "It is significant that when stove-boy-Smith arrived at Kew, 40 species of fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
were grown but when Curator Smith retired, there were 1,084."
Works by John Smith
- Smith, John. Catalogue of Ferns in the Royal Gardens at Kew. HMSO, London, England. 1856. 8pp, 210x140mm, PB.
- Smith, John. Cultivated Ferns: Or a Catalogue of Exotic and indigenous Ferns Cultivated in British Gardens, with Characters of General Principal, Synonyms, etc. William Pamplin, London, England. 1857. xii,84pp, 163x103mm, HB. Also possibly an 1864 edition.
- Smith, John. Ferns: British and Foreign, Their History, Geography, Classification and Enumeration of the Species of Garden Ferns with a Treatise on Their Cultivation, etc. First edition: Robert Hardwicke, London, England. 1866. xiv,412(2)pp, 195x125mm, HB; Web: http://www.archive.org/details/fernsbritishfore00smitrich. Also second edition (1877) and third edition (1879), subtitled The History, Organography, Classification and Enumeration of the Species of Garden Ferns.; Web: http://www.archive.org/details/fernsbritish00smitrich.
- Smith, John. Historia Filicum: an exposition of the nature, number and organography of ferns, and review of the principles upon which genera are founded, and the systems of classification of the principal authors, with a new general arrangement; characters of the genera; remarks on their relationship to one another; their species; reference to authors; geographical distribution; etc., etc. MacMillan & Co., London, England. 1875. (2)/xvi/429/(5)pp, 190x120mm, HB; Web: http://www.archive.org/details/historiafilicume00smitrich (reprinted in 1981).