410 Missouri State Horticultural Society. 



CULTIVATED PLANTS AND THE TIME OF THEIR INTRODUCTION. 



The following list contains the date of introduction of some 

 of the foreign plants which are now familiar in our gardens and 

 conservatories : 



The common Acacia tree, a native of North America, was first 

 cultivated by John Tradescant, Sr., in 1640. 



The French and African Marygolds were introduced by John 

 Gerard, author of the ''Herbal," in 159G. 



The Almond tree, from Barbary, is first mentioned by Lobelius 

 in 1570. A few years later, in 1596, Gerard cultivated the com- 

 mon Pomegranate. 



The dwarf Pomegranate of the West Indies did not appear in 

 our gardens before 1730. To Gerard we also owe the first intro- 

 duction of the Yucca gloriosa and the African Aloe. The Agave 

 Americana was not cultivated for a century later. 



The Apple and Pear, Plum, and Cherry, are native plants, but 

 the Quince came from Austria at the close of the seventeenth 

 century. 



The Cucumber is a native, but was first cultivated in the six- 

 teenth century, as was the common Melon. 



Asparagus, Cabbage, or Brassica oleracea, in all its varieties of 

 White, Red, Savoy, Cauliflower, Broccoli : Turnips, or Brassica 

 rapa. Beet, Hops, Horseradish, Celery, Onions, Leeks, Radishes, 

 Mustard, Cress, Lettuce, are all indigenous plants. 



The Potato, as is well known, came from America ; the Mar- 

 rowfat or common garden Pea from the South of Europe, as did the 

 globe Artichoke, the Bean from Egypt, the China Orange from In- 

 dia in 1629, the Lemon from Asia an 1648, the Jerusalem Artichoke 

 from Brazil in 1617, the Coffee plant in 1696, the Tea plant about 

 1768, Parsley from Sardinia in 1551 ; and to foreign countries we 

 are also indebted for almost all spices and condiments except must- 

 ard. 



Garden Balsam, a native of the East Indies, was introduced by 

 Gerard in 1596. 



The Plantain tree was first cultivated at Hampton Court in 

 1690, and the Banana in 1781. 



The Cedar of Lebanon, now so common, was not grown in 

 England before 1783, and is first mentioned in a letter of Ray of 

 that year. 



The common white Larch had been introduced in 1629, and 

 the Norway Spruce Fir m 1739, first in Chelsea Gardens, 



