GARDENIA

group of rubiaceous plants and trees; white or yellow neled flowers, 6 to 7 stamens; small yields a yellow dye. the Greeks, and Varro, Cato, Columella, Virgil, and Horace the Romans, have left us some ef the horticultural practice of times. But the monuments of Egypt give plans of irrigated soins. back sixteen centuries before hristian era, and the seeds of cultivated fruits, flowers, and have been discovered among the Hgyptian tombs. We read, too, dens at Babylon, and at Pa argade Persia. Gardening has also been vated from time immemorial in and above all in China, where many the people are very expert in this universally loved art. It was Romans who introduced gardening Britain; they brought many fruits, herbs, and decorative plants. In 3rd cent. A.D. the Emperor popularized the cultivation of the in these islands. But with the of the Roman power, gardening fell decay, and was only revived by monks, Medicinal herbs especially were grown in the monastic in the 12th cent., gives a list of plants then grown in the monastic grounds. Later, gardens were around the principal castles, including Chicago that of the king. Among the plan director grown in the time of Henry II. we are pears, apples, nuts, cherries, bear and onions, garlic, and numerous medic in herbs. The practice of gardening sor Long spread among the poorer people; 4 It is read in Piers Plowman of them grow i is 18 beans, apples, peas, onions, and cherrie was These, with garlic, leeks, kale, swe the herbs, medicinal herbs, and vario town fruits, were the chief products of ti many gardens of the period, which we is the usually enclosed by high walls or hedg« bishop Periwinkles, marigolds, roses, and viole Cat he were among the favorite flowers, t also rose most esteemed being a fragra: and double red; the ‘Madonna lily’ was he in high honor. seats, and shady trees gave character these early gardens. The first gard dist. of book written in English was a poe Colorado called The Feate of Gardening, by J« and Gardener, about the middle of the 15 excent. Among the plants named in th rock, book as suitable for a garden are tl thorn, hollyhock, lavender, mint, parsle sage, spinach, strawberries, apple, thym fun and rose. In the 15th cent. flower ga berry, dening became more popular, and abo this time the topiary art, which had lo before been practiced by the Roman Hesiod, was introduced to Britain. among In the 17th cent. pleasure-garden i1 Pliny, reached a very high level in Englan among Parkins on, in his Paradisi in Sole Par account disum Terrestris, 1629, gives a descripti their list of twelve distinct varieties of frit i ancient laries, eight varieties of grape hyacinth the cowslips, and even more of lilies and « various roses. In his charming e ay Of Garden shrubs as pictures the perfect Elizabeth a anc. garden. sun-dials were all characteristic featur in of the gardens of this period. Up t culti the time of Queen Anne formal garden in India, had held the field unchallenged; but Poy of and Add is on ridiculed the popular idea almost and soon produced a ction. Tt the landscape gardener thus came into beings into Bridge man, Kent, Batty Langley, an pot- ‘Capability’ Brown were the pioneers < the the new movement. The gardens Probus tried to ‘copy nature’; artificial lake vine streams, ruins, and circuitous driv« decline leading nowhere, were created roun into every mansion, and stately avenues an the terraces were abolished in favor of im: tation of nature. British gardening c gardens. to-day, which combines the best fror written the modes of the past, is probably a the higher level than it has ever befor reached.: formed Market-gardening is that branch ¢ agriculture concerned with the produc n) tion, for market sale, of fruit, vegetables, chester and flowers. The growth of market Fellow gardening has been one of the most 1892; striking phenomena of the close of the History, 19th and the first twenty years of the regius 20th cent. The steady increase in the Oxford, cultivation of crops under gla is even more pronounced than the general advance. But so long as the railway charges for the carriage of garden prod1555), uce remain so high, market-gardening chester; can only flourish near large towns. One sec. very important factor of succe is the to selection of the most suitable crops to grow. Another point of great imporprived tance is to study quality as well as Fleet; quantity of produce. Flower culture is he perhaps the branch of market-gardening he from which, under suitable conditions, the greatest financial yield can be obin tained from a small amount of land. of Here, more than anywhere, quality tells; West and the intelligent grower who sacrifices Maine cheapne when planting for the sake eester. of choicer flowers, reaps his due reward. Bunching and packing are matters of the greatest importance. Immediately rattan flowers are gathered they should be and taken to a cool, not too light shed or Levi underground cellar, and their stems oy placed in water. Under these conditions they preserve their freshne for a considerable time. Light, heat, and dryne are the chief causes of flowers in withering. and are