Book I. 



DISTRIBUTION OF THE BRITISH FLORA. 



275 



and preserved in the gardens of the religious houses. Henry died in 1547 j but the 

 plants introduced in the year after his death, may be considered as properly belonging to, 

 his reign. 



Edw. VI. 1547 to 1553. During this troublous reiRn, only 

 seven exotic species were added to the British garden, chiefly 

 by Dr. Turner, director of the Duke of Somerset's (tlien Lord 

 Protector) parden at Zion House. 



Mary. IS.W to 1558. No plants introduced. 



Elizabeth. 1558 to 1603. 533 species were introduced during 

 this reia;n. Of these, '^88 are enumerated in the first edition of 

 Gerard's Herbal, published 1557. Drake's voyage round the 

 world, Raleigh's discoveries in North America, and the con- 

 sequent introduction of the tobacco and potatoe, took place 

 during this reign. 



James I. 1603 to 1625. Only 20 plants introduced during 

 this period. 



Charles 1. 1625 to 1649. 331 plants introduced, which are 

 chiefly mcmtioned bv Parkinson, the first edition of whose 

 work was pubUshed iii 1629. Parkinson was the king's herbalist, 

 and Tradescant his kitchen-gardener. A teiste for plants began 

 to appear among the higher classes during this reign ; various 

 private gentlemen had botanic gardens ; and several London 

 merchants procured seeds and plants for Lobel, Johnston, and 

 Parkinson, through their foreign correspondents. 



O. and ft. Cromrcell. 1649 to 1658. 95 plants introduced by 

 the same means as before. Cromwell encouraged agriculture ; 

 but the part he acted left no leisure for any description of 

 elegant or refined enjoyment. 



Cluirlca II. 1660 to 1685. 152 plants introduced, chiefly 

 mentioned by Rav, Morrison, and different writers in the 

 Transactions of the Royal Society, founded in 1663. The 

 Oxford and Chelsea gardens were founded, or enlarged, during 

 this reign. Sir Hans Sloane and Evelyn florished. Many 

 native plants were now brought into notice by Ray and Wil- 

 loughby. 



Jaines II. 1685 to 1688. 44 plants introduced. 



William S( Marv. 1688 to 1702. 298 species introduced, 

 chiefly from the West Indies, and through Sir Hans Sloane 

 and the Chelsea garden. Plunkenet succeeded Parkinson as 

 royal herbalist during this reign; and botanists were sent 

 from England, for the first time, to explore foreign countries. 

 As in the two former reigns great additions were now made 

 to the indigenous Flora, by Ray, Sibbald, Johnson, and 

 others. Many of the 50 species" annually presented to the 

 Royal Society were natives. 



Anne. 1702 to 1714. 230 plants in great part from the 

 East and West Indies, and through the Chelsea garden. 



George I. 1714 to 1727. 182 plants, chiefly through the 

 Chelsea garden. 



George II. 1727 to 1760. 1770 plants, almost entirely 

 through the Chelsea garden, now in its zenith of fame under 

 Miller. 375 of tliese plants are stated as introdiued in 1730 

 and 1731, the latter being the year in which the first folio 

 edition of the Gardeners' and Botanists' Dictionary appeared. 

 239 in 1739, in which year the 4th edition of the same work 

 appeared. 196 in 1752, and above 400 in 1758 and 1759, 

 when subsequent editions were publislied. In the last, in 

 1763, the number of plants cultivated in England is stated to 

 be more than double the number contained in the edition of 



George 111. 1760 to 1817. 6756 plants introduced, or con- 

 siderably above half the whole number of exotics now in the 

 gardens of this country. Tliis is to be accounted for from the 

 general progress of civilisation, and the great extension of 

 Lritish power and influence in every quarter of tlve world; 

 especially in the East Indies, at the tape of Good Hope, and 

 New South Wales. The increasing liberality of intercourse 

 which now obuined among the learned of all countries, 

 must also be taken into account, by which, notwithstanding 

 the existence of political differences, peace reigned and com- 

 merce florished in tlie world of science. George III. may 

 also b said to have encouraged botany, aided by the advice, 

 assistance, and unwearied efforts of that distinguished patron 

 of science. Sir Joseph Banks, and the garden of Kew, and its 

 late curator, Aiton, became the Chelsea garden, and the Miller 

 of this reign. Most of the new plants were sent there, and 

 first described in the Hortus Kemensis. The next greatest num. 

 hers were procured bv the activity of the London nurserymen, 

 especially Lee, and Loddiges, and described in the Botanical 

 Magazine ; Andrew's Heathery ; the Botanical Register ; Lod- 

 diges' Cabinet, and other works. The greatest number of plants 

 introduced in any one year, during this period, is 336 in 1800, 

 chiefly heaths and proteas from the Cape of Good Hope, taken 

 from the Dutch in 1795. The following are the numbers 

 annually introduced since that period : 



ISOl 



116 



1803. 



48 



1805. - 169 I 1809, 



1806. - 224 1810, 



1807. - 61 1811. . 149 



1808. - 52 I 1812. - 316 



1813. - 42 



1814. - 44 



1815. - 192 



1816. - 301 

 Annual Average of 17 years, ending 1816, 156 species. 



1771. With respect to the obvious character of the artificial Flora, 350 species are hardy 

 trees or shrubs ; of these 270 are trees above 10, and 100 trees above 80 feet high. Of 

 these, the larch, spruce fir, silver fir, and Lombardy poplar, sometimes attain the height 

 of 100 feet. Above 400 species are hardy grasses. Of the tender exotics, the greater 

 number are trees or shrubs, and the next greatest number annuals and bulbs. The 

 colors of the blossoms are generally rich and vivid in proportion to the warmth of the 

 climate of which the plants are natives. 



1772. Purchasable British Flora. The whole of the plants enumerated as forming the 

 British Flora, are probably not at any one time all in existence in Britain. Many of them , 

 especially the exotic species, which were introduced at Kew, have been lost there through 

 accidents or diseases, and are wanting for a time till new seeds or plants are obtained from 

 abroad. Had they been distributed among the nurserymen they would have been 

 abundantly multiplied and spread over the country. Casualties happen even to hardy 

 plants, and a species which at one time is to be found in moderate quantities in the nur- 

 series is at another period comparatively scarce. Thus, if we reduce the actual number, 

 of species to be found in cultivation at one time to from 9000 to 10,000, it will be found 

 nearer the truth. In the public nurseries, varieties are very much cultivated, in order, as 

 it were, to place the beauties of esteemed species in different points of view ; or to produce 

 in vegetables something analogous to what are called variations in musical compositions. 

 The following may be considered as a popular or horticultural distribution of tlie species 

 and varieties obtainable from British nurseries. It is taken from a catalogue entitled 

 Prodromus, &c. ; or Forerunner of the collection in Page's Southampton nursery-garden ' 

 drawn up by L. Kennedy, (late of the Hammersmith nursery,) and published in 1818. 

 It is a work of great practical utility, and with Sweet's Hortus, should be in the hands 

 of every gardener, who has a collection of plants under his care. 



1773. Hardi/ Plants. 



Sp. & Var. 



Trees above 30 feet high - - 100 



Trees under 30 and above 101 arm 



feet high . . . j- 200 



Deciduous shrubs . . - 500 



Roses, double and single - - 3.30 



Evergreen shrubs - - 400 



Hardy climbing shrubs 

 Herbaceous plants . . - 

 Gras.ses introduced in botanic! 

 collections - - J 



Bulbous-rooted plants 

 Aquatics 



Sp. & Var. 

 - 1.30 



1774. Green-house and Dry-stove Plants. 



Trees and shrubs 

 Heaths - 

 Geraniums 

 Proteas 



Sp. & Var. 

 1450 

 400 

 150 

 120 



Climbers 

 Succulents 



Mesymbryanthemums 

 'Bulbous-rooted plants 



T 2 



Sp.&Var. 



90 



170 



160 



30O 



Marsh plants 

 Biennials 



Sp.&Var, 

 70 

 300 



Sp. & Var 

 Herbaceous and stemless plants 34a 



