No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. «29 



from colored women on Market Street, but, so far as I know, the 

 plants have no commercial value to the horticulturist. 



One is continually impressed with the fact that our American 

 ideals, so far as gardening is concerned, differ widely from those 

 prevailing in Europe. This is shown even in the plants which are 

 favorites in the household. Some ten years ago the pet flower 

 seemed to be the Clyclamen, which during the past few years has 

 been gaining in popularity in this country. At the time of my visit 

 I rarely entered a house in certain parts of Germany where one or 

 more of these plants did not decorate the window-sills. I always 

 recall with pleasure a singularly fine display in a mansion on the 

 Rhine whose broad windows were completely filled with these plants. 

 It would have been difficult to tell which was whiter, the Cyclamen 

 blooms or the snow outside; the window formed a beautiful frame 

 for the river and the mountains beyond. 



A great difference also exists between the aims of the fruit grower 

 in Europe and America. With us fruit is more or less for the rich 

 and poor alike. The vast quantities of apples, pears and peaches 

 in our markets in late summer show a truly democratic spirit, while 

 in Northern Europe fruit is decidedly a luxury. What there is, is 

 usually of a superior quality. Pears, apples and peaches are raised 

 on lattices, a method practiced by Benedictine monks centuries ago. 

 Some gardeners make a specialty of raising dwarf trees which are 

 made to bear fine fruits. In this manner there is a decided improve- 

 ment in quality, but one misses the quantity. The sight of heavily 

 laden fruit stands is one of the things a traveler enjoys on return- 

 ing home from Europe. 



Towards the middle of the 18th century the Chinese Aster was 

 introduced into Europe by a Jesuit missionary. At that time the 

 raxs were in 2-4 rows. This plant has shown what the gardener 

 can do in the w^ay of dwarfing and increasing the size of the flower. 

 As in all other progressive fields of enterprise, there are constantly 

 new problems to be solved. Exhibitions of horticultural societies 

 are practical demonstrations of the solution of these. The gar- 

 dener deliberately plans changes in regard to the color of the bloom, 

 form, durability, increase in size of flower and decrease in size of 

 plant; he changes the time of flowering to a particular season, and 

 he creates new varieties. While we may say that horticulture, at 

 the beginning of the 19th century, concerned itself with the culti- 

 vation of a few vegetables and comparatively few flowers and fruits, 

 with a hothouse here and there, we must add that it has now be- 

 come one of the most progressive and greatest commercial occupa- 

 tions of our country. Indeed if we were to enumerate the world's 

 wonders of to-day, we would not regard the evolution of such forms 

 as the American Beauty from its primitive ancestor, a wild rose, as 

 the least of these. 



While the monks were tending their flowers, when they were not 

 counting their beads, expeditions were sent out and new plants 

 forced themselves upon the attention of the explorers. Important 

 events took place which had an influence upon the development of 

 the science of botany. Botanical gardens were established, at first, 

 to be sure, for very dilfereut purposes from those of to-day. Tlh- 

 chief consideration, at first, was the cultivation of useful drugs, 



