ON THE 



PROGRESS OF GARDENING 



In England during the IBth Century, 



That improvement which so gradually dawned upon Garden- 

 ing during the period of which wo have just concluded, the 

 consideration, burst forth in full splendour during the 18th. 

 Century. Never did circumstances more successfully combine 

 for the improvement of any art, than they did for the promotion 

 of Horticulture in all its branches during the hundred years I 

 am now entering upon. 



To bo an efficient cultivator of Plants, a knowledge of Botany 

 wo have already observed is req^uisite. Whilst that Science 

 remained the chaos of unarranged facts, and ill-classified 

 individuals, which it was until the master mind of Linnaias re- 

 duced its confusion and discord to harmony in 1737, it requir- 

 ed for its acquisition the devotion of a life. Such acquisition 

 the new system of classification rendered comparatively easy 

 in a few months. That Gardeners availed themselves of the 

 advantage needs no further instance than Phillip Miller, in 

 whom the perfect Botanist and Horticulturist were combined, 

 ,and wjio was a correspondent of the chief men of Science then 

 living;. 



