154 



HORTICULTURE 



H. B. Tukey 



Horticulture is a Great Green Carpet 

 that Covers the Earth 



Reprinted with the permission of the author 

 and publisher from American Journal of 

 Botany 44(3) :279-289, 1957. 



From the air the earth looks green— men. There are ( 1 ) those interested in 

 a great green mantle stretched out pro- the science or biological side of Horti- 

 tcctingly and warmly over the good culture— botanists, chemists, physicists, 

 earth. This is a proper concept, because geneticists, plant breeders, soil experts, 

 without the chlorophyll that gives this and the like; (2) those interested in the 

 green color, the good earth would not business or affairs side of Horticulture 

 be so good. There would be no life, no —seedsmen, nurserymen, florists, fruit 

 coal or wood or oil for fuel, no food- growers, vegetable growers, produce 

 stuffs or fiber, and remarkably little merchants, canners, freezers, and the 

 shelter. Tlie green mantle has that like; and (3) those interested in the 

 wonderful property of being able to home or art side of Horticulture— the 

 capture the energy of the sun and tie amateur gardener, the housewife, and 

 it up in what we call the products of all those who enjoy plants for the satis- 

 photosynthcsis— the sugars and the faction they derive from them, 

 starches and other organic compounds Horticulture is not restricted to pro- 

 made from the carbon dioxide of the fessional horticulturists. Tliere were 

 air. No, there would be no plant life stars before there was astronomy and 

 and there would be no animal life. The there were plants before there were 

 GOOD earth might perhaps more professional horticulturists, 

 properly be called the GREEN earth. 



This is the sort of thing with which the science or biological 



Horticulture deals— a great green man- side of horticulture 



tie or carpet covering the earth. 



On this green carpet of Horticulture Over a period of generations many 



are gathered all kinds and conditions of individuals have developed an under- 



