274 AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES. 



seems to us, the incomprehensible taste which finds pleasure in 

 such unnatural forms. 



8. Acclimatization and Extension of Japanese Orna- 

 mental AND Useful Plants in Europe. 



The acclimatization of a plant is its adaptation to the climate 

 and soil of a strange locality. It is evident that its naturalization 

 will be the easier the more closely the new dwelling-place conforms 

 in both these particulars to the old ; and, on the other hand, that 

 it must be difficult in most cases, if not impossible, wherever these 

 are widely divergent. For the inner structure of the plant, and 

 its whole development, depend most intimately on the conditions 

 of its nourishment by climate and soil. 



Summer growths, and all perennial plants which are propagated 

 from seeds, can never be naturalized where the seed-germ does not 

 reach its full ripeness. Others are not acclimatisable where, from 

 time to time during the winter they freeze, however favourable 

 their summer development may be. The winter of 1879-80, for 

 instance, in France and Germany, destroyed a great number of 

 California Conifers, which for several decades had been growing 

 most successfully, and showed plainly that their complete naturaliz- 

 ation is impossible with us. Trees, however, which are propagated 

 from their roots, will grow where they cannot ripen their seeds, and 

 indeed where they partly freeze in severe winters. The upper 

 perishable part of the common broom was killed by the cold in 

 many parts of Germany in December, 1879, but in the following 

 summer the sound roots made a complete reparation, and this has 

 been true also with Kerria japonica. Another Japanese plant, 

 Paulownia imperialis, thrives well in England, but rarely produces 

 flowers, and never seeds capable of germinating. It is easily pro- 

 pagated however from the roots, as is the case with the large 

 bamboo cane of Japan, and may be naturalized to a limited extent. 



It is very important that the conditions under which a plant grows 

 and thrives in its home be well understood before making attempts 

 to cultivate it elsewhere. Often this rule is not observed, and one 

 learns, by many useless efforts and dear experience, what might 

 have been obtained by a much shorter and cheaper way. The story 

 of the introduction of Aucuba, and many other popular Japanese 

 ornamental plants, furnishes many instructive suggestions. 



On the other hand, experience shows too that many plants have 

 a very extensible habitat, i.e, are less dainty in respect to their 

 demands upon climate and soil, while others are very choice in 

 these respects. Only a trial can decide how far a plant will ac- 

 commodate itself to its environment. Of two, which have the 

 same home, growing near each other on the same ground, and 

 under the same climatic influences, one will easily domesticate 

 itself on a foreign soil, the other not at all. As I have already 



