65/154/1-12

Twelve zinc plant labels of various shapes and sizes, from Bayfordbury in Hertfordshire. They are inscribed with platinum chloride ink, which is very durable. The labels were acquired by the Museum from the Department of Agricultural Botany at the University of Reading.

Gordon D. Rowley label – ‘I.4 Zinc labels from Bayfordbury, ancient and modern. Still widely used. With platinum chloride ink the writing remains legible as long as the life of the label.', MERL Miscellaneous note – ‘COLLECTION OF PLANT AND TREE LABELS // 65/149–65/186 // G. D. Rowley, Dept. of Agricultural Botany, University of Reading // Details of Mr Rowley’s collection are given in his letter of 30th October, 1964 (attached). The examples have been accessioned in sequence to conform with his classification. All items have been classified under GARDENS – tree labels being regarded as a feature of landscape gardening. // See off-print (also attached) ‘Problems of Labelling’, G. D. Rowley – Journal of Royal Horticultural Society, Vol LXXVII Pt.6 June 1952.’, Letter, G. D. Rowley to MERL, 30 October 1964 – ‘Dear Mr Jewell, // Herewith promised earlier this year my collection of plant labels, brought together during 1941–1961 at the (then) John Innes Horticultural Institution and described in the R.H.S. Journal Paper of 1952, of which I enclose a second copy. // I hope it will be of some interest. // Each package is coded and the arrangement is as follows: // I HISTORICAL – Pre-1900 [65/149–155] // 1 Pottery and porcelain labels // 2 Slate // 3 Lead // 4 Zinc // 5 Wood // II MODERN – Post-1900 [65/156–172] // 1 Plastic tags: Woodman, Excelmet, Steelite // 2 Plastic sealed: Cosmocord, Morane, John Innes // 3 Plastic sandwich: Compra, De la Rue, Hartley, Thornhill // 4 Lightweight alloy: // Cast: Acme // Embossed: Excelmet, Hartley, Hills // 5 Glass: British Thomson-Houston, Hortac // 6 Miscellaneous // III LABELS FROM BOTANICAL GARDENS [65/173–179] // 1 Scotland // 2 France // 3 Germany // 4 Sweden // 5 Switzerland // 6 U.S.A. // 7 Australia // IV LABEL HAZARDS AND ENEMIES [65/180–184] // 1 The misplaced boot // 2 Sun // 3 Animals // 4 Strangling the plant // 5 Lightning // V RESEARCH ON LABELS – Durability [65/185–186] // 1 Effects of exposure outdoors // 2 Effects of immersion in water // Sincerely yours, G. D. Rowley’

Rowley, Gordon D. (Agent)
John Innes Horticultural Institute