The Encyclopedia of Gardening

THE ENCYCLOP/EDIA OF GARDENING. A DICTIONARY OF CULTIVATED PLANTS, ETC.,, GIVING IN ALPHABETICAL SEQUENCE THE CULTURE AND PROPAGATION OF HARDY AND HALF-HARDY PLANTS, TREES ANI" SHRUBS, ORCHIDS, FERNS, FRUIT, VEGE-TABLES, HOTHOUSE AND GREENHOUSE PLANTS, Etc., INCLUDING THEIR SPECIFIC "AND COMMON NAMES. BY |ANDERS, F.L.S.. F.R.H.S. (Knight 0/ Pip6t Glass 0/ the Royal Ordee of Wasa, Sweden), " Editor of "Amateur Gardening"and Farm and Garden' ; Author of "The Alphabet of Gardening," "Amateur's Greenhouse." "Vegetables and theirCultivation,""The Flower Cardan," Etc. THIRTEENTH EDITION. LONDON : W. H. " L. COLLINGRIDGE, 148 " 149/ AUersgate St.. E.G. COLLINGBIDGE, " L. W. H. Printers, Street. Aldersgate E.C. London, FOREWORDS edition of work Ix issuing this, a thoroughly revised a which has previously passed through twelve editions, and thus abundantly testified its value as a work of reference the culture of all the of on genera trees, shrubs, orchids, ferns, hardy plants,hothouse and greenhouse plants, and vegetables worthy of a place in British gardens, the Author the desires to express his gratitude to many time persons who have written to him from time to tc point out errors or omissions in past editions, and to saj- he that trusts every purchaser of this volume will find it an acceptable, useful and valued guide to the successful cultivation of plants grown in their gardens and green-houses. The Author begs to refer the Reader to the latter his portion of introductory remarks for information as to the general features of the work and the improve-ments made therein. It is only needful to add here that the Reader wiU find the Anithor's " Alphabet of Garden-ing " an excellent companion to the present volume. Therein he will find the subjects of plant life, soils, manures, propagation, pruning, planting, training, and rotation of crops fully dealt with, and in all cases freely illustrated with diagrams. Furnished with these two volumes, the reader will, indeed, possess a concise library on all that pertains to the growth of vegetation adapted for the adornment of garden and greenhouse and for use as food, at a comparatively small cost. T. W. S. "^ "^ ^ "8" "#*""^ INTRODUCTION. The art and craft of gardening is unquestionablythe oldest of all human occupations.Holy Writ tells us that when the Great Architect of the universe created Adam, the progenitor of our race, He placedhim in that delightfulearthlyparadise, the Garden of Eden, to dress and to keep it. We, therefore, who have adopted the noble professionas a means of existence have every reason to feel justlyproud of belongingto so ancient and honourable a craft,while those who have adopted other professions,and who practisethe art and craft as a recreative pursuit,cannot but share a similarlygrateful appreciationof its virtues. PRIMEVAL GARDENERS AND GARDENS. In the long vista of time that has passed since the first grand old gardener practisedthe art, first for pleasure,and afterwards as a means of subsistence,gardening has never failed to have a magic fascination for rich. and poor of all ages. Noah, we are told,experienceddelightin cultivating the vine ; Jacob in growingthe vine,fig,and almond ; Solomon in making gardens,orchards, and vineyards; and the ancient Egyptians,Assyrians,Chinese, Greeks, and Romans, in the fashioningof gardens,or the cultivation of fruits and vege-tables. In fact,throughoutall ages and all time, the noble art and craft has ever been a popular and fascinatingpur-suit. King Solomon must have been an enthusiastic amateur " gardener, since he tells us in Ecclesiastes that, I planted me vineyards: I ma^e me gardens and orchards,and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits : I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringethforth trees." The gardens of that period were enclosed by walls or thick hedges to -protect the crops from prowling INTROVUCTWX. beasts,and the crops grown therein were the vine,fig,pome-granate,, walnut, a^ond,medlar, and quince; lettuce,endive, cucumbers, onionsi leeks, garlic,and meilons; and roses, galore. In the hot, dry climate of Palestine watering was. an indispensableoperation, and hence reservoirs and con-duits for irrigatingthe land had always to be provided. In ancient Persia and Assyriagardens were fashioned and maintained on an elaborate stylein the neighbourhoodof all great cities. Not only were all the choicest of the native flora utilised in their adornment, but others obtained fron" far-off climes. The famous Hanging Gardens of Babyloa were the wonder of the then civilised world. These consisted of no less than twenty plateaux,risingone above the other, and restingon walls 22ft. in thickness,and each plantedwith trees or other vegetation,kept in constant growth by artificial watering. In Egypt,too, gardenswere elaboratelyfashioned, sculptureand masonry enteringlargelyinto their formation and decoration. In these they grew every kind of fruit, vegetables,and flowers,all of which had to be unceasingly watered by irrigationfrom the Nile, or by the hand of th" slave. MEDIEVAL GARDENING. The also Grecians were famous gardeners. They seem to- have taken specialdelightin having fine expanses of beautiful greensward, studded with statuary and pavilions,and fur-nished with shady groves. Fruit trees were lavishlyculti-vated, and lilies,narcissi,and roses grown in profusion Id these gardens. Not less magnificentand less regalin splen-dour were the Roman gardens. The Romans, indeed, were- keen gardeners,and grew many of the popular vegetablesof the present day with great success. Moreover, they fully understood the art of manuring and forcing,and may be said to have brought the arts of horticulture and agricultureto- their highestperfectionat that periodof the world's history. In and in China, Mexico, India,too, gardeningwas a popular and pastime with rich poor long before the Christian era. So far as our own country is concerned, there is little doubt that we owe the earlyintroduction of horticulture,and its sister art agriculture,to the Romans. When theyhad finally subjugatedthe ancient Britons, and peace prevailed,history tells us that the Roman settlers planted vineyards and orchards of apples,pears, figs,mulberries, etc., as well a? grew corn, not only for home use, but also for exportation. INTRODUCTION,. 4^ In the twelfth century it is recorded that vineyardsflourished in the vale of Gloucester,apple orclyftrdswere plentifulin, the fertile county of "Worcester,marfcet gardens existed at Fulham, and that gardens attached to the homes of th" . baron, yeoman,, and hind wer.e fairlycommon' throughout But England. these gardenswere not of the neat and sym-metrical order of those,of the present day. They were, simple: or enclosures within patches walls,plantedwith fruits,vege-tables, and herbs. The of monks the Middle Ages were great, gardeners. Their superioreducation, peaceful calling,and. habits fitted them to general undertake the culture of pro-duce in the-cmtilageof their monasteries. Moreover, they^ were in the habit of travellinga- great deal, and had the-, opportunityof securingnew or improved forms of produce to.. cultivate in their " - - gardens. GENESIS OF ENGLISH GARDENING. It was in the reignof Edward III. that the art of gardening, began to be seriouslytaken in hand. Britons then began to" lay out their gardenson a inore ornamental plan than before,, and to cultivate plantsfor use and medicine more extensively.. " The first,book on gardening, entitled De Yconomia de- Housbrandia," Walter de in the 16th by Henley, appeared . century, and others soon followed, including the quaint Thomas Tusser, who detailed the work of the garden and' farm in pleasingrhyme. In Henry VIII. 's reignthe gardenso"' Nonsuch, and Hampton Court were laid out with regalsplen-dour, and in Queen Bess's time the potato, tobacco,tea, and ai number of other useful or ornamental plants and trees were- introduced from foreignclimes to enrich the gardensof the- period. Evelyn, then a. great writer and traveller,did a great deal to populariseand extend the art of gardeningy and Gerard, the famous surgeon and botanist,publishedhis- esteemed Herbal, a work still highlyvalued at the present- " day. John Parkinson later on publishedhis Paradisi in-sole Paradisus terestris,"a valuable work, which gave great- impetus to furtheringthe art of gardeningat the time. In the eighteenthcenturymarvellous strides were made in" the progress of gardening. People of,wealth began to lay out gardens oh; a- mag-nificentscale,form parks, and plant trees ornament for " and use. Botanic gardens were formed . at Chelsea, Cambridge, and Kew, and greenhouses glazed' with glass and- artificiallyheated were first brought intO" INTRODUCTION. The of practicaluse at that period. professionalgardener in skill and the 18th century was, however, woefullylacking intelligence.He could cultivate ordinary crops, but failed of the choicer to possess the art or initiative growing vege-tables and fruit,hence these had to be imported from Holland and to and Flanders. Later, he seems to have improved, have been able to understand the art of securingearlycrops and ensuringsuccessional supplies. GARDENING IN THE LAST CENTURY. its It was in the last century that gardeningin all phases made the most rapid strides,thanks to the efforts of such much eminent experts as Thomas Andrew Knight,who did so in the improvement of the varieties of our hardy fruits; John Claudius Loudon, in the designingand plantingof gardens and in the publicationof his remarkable Encyclo-paedia

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