64 HISTORICAL SKETCH. 



useful and beautiful productions of the vegetable realm, in every portion of 

 the earth. 



But the far greatest advancement in all those branches of gardening, has 

 been made since the foundation of the London Horticultural Society, in 

 1805 ; and so notoriously favorable had been its influence in Great Britain, 

 that the highly commendable example was not only followed in Paris, in 

 1826, but like institutions were speedily organized in nearly all the nations 

 of Europe. 



The immense extension of nautical enterprise, after the discovery of the 

 routes to the oriental empires and the islands of the Pacific and Indian 

 Oceans, round the southern Capes of Africa and America, gave a powerful 

 impulse to the study of all branches of natural history, but none of them 

 advanced so rapidly as Botany ; for it was not only ardently investigated 

 as a science, but its splendid trophies, gathered in every clime, from the 

 polar circles to the equator, were as eagerly sought, for giving increased 

 value and elegance to the compartments of a garden, as to enrich the 

 cabinets of the enthusiastic disciples of Linnaeus. 



The Experimental Garden at Chiswick, and that of Plants, in Paris, 

 were, therefore, of the greatest consequence to the Horticuhural Societies 

 of England and France ; for the seeds and plants which were received 

 from all parts of the world, were there carefully cultivated, for the purpose 

 of testing their qualities, and the ultimate distribution of such as might be 

 deemed valuable acquisitions, by affording nutriment for man and his 

 domesticated animals, materials for raiment, elements in the arts, or 

 precious additions to the ornamental collections of the horticulturist, not 

 merely Within the bounds of those nations, but of all others. 



To facilitate this diffusion, the proprietors of numerous spacious nurseries 

 in the vicinity of those vast emporiums, and many other parts of the 

 respective nations of which they are the capitals, easily obtained specimens 

 of each new species, for propagation and sale ; and an approximate 

 estimate of the demand may be made from the fact, that the annual 

 average value of the plants in Loddiges' great establishment, at Hackney, 

 near London, has been represented as exceeding eight hundred thousand 

 dollars. 



The influence of the periodical publications of those distinguished Soci- 

 eties, has been as extensive, as it is notoriously beneficial, for they contain 

 information of the highest importance to the people of all countries, who 

 are interested in garden cultivation. 



While such laudable efforts for the promotion of Horticulture occupied 

 the zealous attention of the most intelhgent and eminent men, as well as 

 every occupant of a rood of land on the Eastern Continent, a cheering 

 spirit of inquiry was aroused on this side of the Atlantic. 



