Na turaliza tion of Plants . 207 



vigour, and a liberal and constant production of fruit or ripe 

 seeds ; while the plants have now become the common tenants of 

 the borders or shrubberies. This then is a fact, which though 

 well known to many English gardeners as to certain plants, has 

 not been acted on so widely as it might, and which deserves a 

 more extended trial, however difficult it may be to explain what is 

 the peculiar suffering which plants undergo from the confinement 

 of the greenhouse. If many points, as to the effects of stoves 

 and houses, are explained, whether as to heat, moist air, as in the 

 case of West India plants in particular, and shelter from winds, 

 there are others, both for good and evil, which yet stand in need 

 of examination ; nor will these investigations be successful till we 

 shall become much better acquainted with the physiology, I might 

 almost say the metaphysics, of plants than we yet are. I need 

 not here say to whom we are indebted for much valuable know- 

 ledge on this subject, since a record like this could add nothing to 

 his reputation ; but it may fairly be said, that while the botanists 

 assume the exclusive honours of science to themselves, it is to the 

 horticulturists, too often affectedly contemned, that our greater 

 debts are due on more points than that of mere utility ; that utility 

 which system and nomenclature pretend to undervalue. In the 

 case in question, for example, it remains, among other things, to 

 explain why it is by cramping the roots of one plant that it is in- 

 duced to produce fruit ; while, in another, the same effect is attain- 

 ed by giving to the roots the full liberty of the surrounding soil. 



But these are subjects not within the present inquiry ; and as 

 to the following list, I shall only remark, that in as far as any 

 plant may be found in it which is equally hardy about London, for 

 example, as in this island, I must apologize for the ignorance, by 

 saying that this list was collected when horticulture was far other 

 than it is now in England, and that many years of interruption 

 have prevented me from keeping my own knowledge of this sub- 

 ject at the level of the surrounding experience. 



I cannot however draw up this document, without noticing the 

 extreme vigour and beauty of almost all the flowering plants in 

 this favoured climate, favoured at least in this respect ; a vigour 



