Book I. 



COMMERCIAL GARDENS. 



1055 



The conmion flowers for nosegays are snowdrops, anemones, 

 narcissi, hyacinths, ranunculuses, tulips, liliums, auriculas, 

 polyanthuses, carnations, pinks, sweetwilliams, sweetpeas, 

 wallflowers, many other border-flowers, and most of the 

 biennial and annual kinds. 



The Jlowers prolonged in duration by being placed under glass 

 before frost approaches, being in pots, are mignonette, 

 stocks of all the sorts, nasturtiums, veronicas, violets, gen- 

 tians, monthly roses, laurustinus, clematis, dahlia, and chry- 

 santhemum. 



The forced .flowers are chiejly the pink tribe, violets, wall- 

 flowers, ten- week stocks, common stocks, hyacinths, crocuses, 



narcissi, tulips, tuberoses, irises, rose-campions, sweet- 

 peas, lupins, roses, lilacs, sweetbriars, mezereons, &c. 



The exotics »7i most common demand are myrties, geraniums, 

 hydrangeas, heaths, camellias, Chinese roses, heliotropes, 

 fuchsias, &c * 



The Jiotvering plants gerierally kept in pots are auriculas, 

 polyanthuses, pinks, carnations, violets, foxgloves, vero- 

 nicas, dahlias, chrysanthemums, phloxes, and saxifragas of 

 sorts, most of the bulbs and many of the annuals and biennials. 



The Jlotvers blown in water-glasses are the hyacinth and nar- 

 cissus chiefly, and also the crocus, tulip, amaryllis, colchi- 

 cum, iris, &c. 



7466. Of mignonette, perhaps more pots are sold in and near the metropolis than of any 

 other potted plant whatever; fifty years ago it was hardly known. Next to mignonette 

 may be named stocks, pinks, sweetpeas and wallflowers, among the hardy plants ; 

 hyacinths, among the bulbs ; and geraniums and myrtles, among the exotics. Some 

 years ago heaths and camellias were chiefly in repute ; these being found difficult to 

 keep in living-rooms, the public taste has changed, and the flower-grower varies his pro- 

 ducts accordingly. All these, and other sorts of plants in pots, are also lent out by the 

 market-florist, to decorate private or public rooms on extraordinary occasions, but espe- 

 cially for those midnight assemblages called routs. This is the most lucrative part of 

 the grower's business, who generally receives half the value of the plants lent out, as 

 many of them, and generally those of most value, are so injured by the heat as never to 

 recover. 



7467. Florists' gardens are devoted to the culture of florists' or select flowers for the 

 sale of the plants and roots, There are not many exclusively devoted to this branch, ex- 

 cepting near Manchester and the metropolis. Those near Manchester, Paisley, and 

 most other provincial towns are generally on a small scale, and cultivated by men who 

 have auxiliary resources of livelihood ; but near London are some extensive concerns of 

 this sort, particularly those of Milliken and Curtis of Walworth ; Davy of the King's 

 Road; Mackie of Clapton, &c. ; the first is celebrated for tulips and most bulbs; the 

 second for pinks and carnation ; the last for auriculas. This is one of the most delicate 

 and difficult branches of gardening, and is only successfully pursued by such as devote 

 their exclusive attention to it. The great difficulty is to preserve fine varieties, and keep 

 them from degenerating or sporting ; many gardeners, excellent propagators and culti- 

 vators of hot-house and green-house plants, find it a very difficult task to grow a fine 

 auricula or carnation ; and their flowers would cut but a poor figure at the florists' shows, 

 either near London or in the country. Much depends on the soil, which requires to be 

 rich and well mellowed by time. It is also the most precarious branch of commercial 

 gardening as a means of subsistence, since the purchasers are not so much the wealthy 

 mercantile class who possess villas, or the independent country gentlemen, in whose gar- 

 dens fine florists' flowers are seldom seen, as the tradesman and middling class. The 

 income of these being temporary, that is, depending in a great measure on personal ex- 

 ertion, and the current demand for their produce is, of course, easily affected by political 

 changes, which make little difference to the man whose income arises from a fixed 

 capital. 



7468. Nursery-gardens. (7335.) In these are propagated and reared all sorts of trees 

 and shrubs, and all other herbaceous plants in general demand : the culture of florists' 

 flowers is often combined to a certain extent, and the dealing in seeds imported, bulbous 

 roots, and garden-implements and machines, is generally considered a part of the busi- 

 ness. Hence the designation of nurseryman, seedsman, and florist, formerly, and still, 

 to a certain degree, common on their sign-boards. Of this class of commercial gardens, 

 there is one or more in most counties of Britain, and a few in Ireland ; but the greater 

 number, and by far the most important, are in the vicinity of the metropolis. Their ex- 

 tent near town is limited ; some contain only an acre or two, but others occupy forty or 

 fifty acres ; in the country where land is cheap, some are of double or treble that extent. 

 In general they have been commenced by head gardeners, who had acquired a little capi- 

 tal, and continued by their sons or successors. In country nurseries, the commoner 

 hardy fruit-trees, and tree and hedge plants, are the chief products : near Edinburgh 

 and the metropolis some embrace every article of nursery produce, as the Hammersmith 

 nursery, unrivalled in the world ; others deal chiefly in fruit-trees, green-house plants, 

 or American plants ; and some almost limit themselves to particular species, as the ca- 

 mellia, erica, geranium, &c. The Scotch nurseries, and especially those of the northern 

 districts, as that of Gibbs at Inverness, are famous for the raising of forest tree seedlings, 

 which they send in large quantities to all parts of the three kingdoms. 



7469. The subject of nursery. culture embraces almost every part of gardening ; since no department 

 requires a more general knowledge, or so much attention and practical adroitness. The essential part of 

 the business is the art of propagation ; which, in some cases, as in multiplying heaths, and other Cape 

 and Botany-bay plants, by cuttings, and in raising even the pine and fir tribes from seed, requires very 

 delicate and accurate manipulation, and constant subsequent care and attention. Even grafting, bud- 

 ding, and layering, require to be carefully, skilfully, and expeditiously performed, and the future pro- 

 gress of the scion, bud, or shoot, carefully watched. Next to propagating, rearing requires attention, and 

 especially transplanting and pruning ; on the former depends the state of the roots, and of course the 



