515. Pharmaceutic gardens. Besides the gardens belonging to the four principal schools of pharmacy already mentioned, most of the general hospitals established in the capital and in the provinces, as well as most of the convents of monks, and various wealthy and enlightened professors of pharmacy, have pharmaceutic gardens more or less exten sive. That of the hospital of Valencia, situated within the city walls, is large, and con- tains a good collection of plants. Among the gardens belonging to the monks, that of Santo Domingo de Silos, in the province of Rioja, is the best. It was for many years under the direction of Father Saracha, corresponding member of the botanic garden of Madrid, and botanical tutor of Don Luis Nee. Don Manuel Rodriguez, professor of pharmacy in the city of Leon, who kept in that city two pharmaceutic gardens, and who enriched himself by the sale of the medicinal plants which are found on the mountains of Leon, but which were, previously to his time, imported from abroad, and sold at exorbitant prices, was also one of the pupils of Father Saracha. Since the death of Don Manuel this new branch of commerce has been followed by his heirs, and by several other en lightened pharmacopolists, whom he himself had taught, and who have now (1828) similar gardens there. The royal palaces of Aranjuez, Escurial, and San Ildefonso have also their respective gardens for medicinal plants, whence the apothecaries who are attached to these royal establishments are supplied. The apothecaries' garden at Madrid was well situated, attended, and provided for, before the war of independence. (Gard. Mag., vol. iv. p. 65.)
