ON VEGETABLE GARDENING. 201 



admit, of the state of vegetable gardening as it exist- 

 ed in ancient times, and as it is still practised in various 

 countries, may not prove wholly without interest. 

 Our principal materials for this sketch are derived 

 from the history of gardening in London's Encyclo- 

 paedia, the perusal of which will abundantly compen- 

 sate those who are desirous for more minute informa- 

 tion upon this interesting subject. 



The accounts we have received of the gardens of 

 antiquity are for the most part considered fabulous, 

 and present no information upon the particular branch 

 which we are now considering. The hanging gar- 

 dens of Babylon have been represented as romantic 

 in point of situation, and magnificent not only for 

 their extent, but also for the natural difficulties which 

 were surmounted in their construction. The useful 

 had, however, but little part in their design ; and of 

 the less aspiring spots, which were made to minister 

 to the wants of the people of that city by the produc- 

 tion of esculent vegetables, it has not been thought ne- 

 cessary to say one word. 



We have abundant reason for believing that the 

 Jews, during their existence as an independent nation, 

 were accustomed to cultivate fruits in abundance, but 

 no mention can be found of the particular herbs and 

 plants which they without doubt produced for their 

 daily consumption. 



Our knowledge of the mode of gardening practised 

 in the Chinese empire has been obtained at periods of 

 recent date ; yet, from what we know of the invete- 

 rate pertinacity wherewith its inhabitants adhere to 

 the customs of their ancestors, we are warranted in 

 believing that the practice of this art has been without 

 any material alteration for many centuries. The 

 learned Jesuits Du Halde and Le Comte, who re- 

 sided as missionaries in China, speak in commenda- 



