54 [Assembly 



day they carried on a considerable commerce in lliese articles. They 

 imported plants from the Levant and both the Indies, and exported 

 them to England, France, and Germany. Before the time of Henry 

 the Eighth, the London market was supplied with culinary herbs and 

 roots from Holland. And during many reigns afterwards the English 

 kings obtained their gardeners from that country. 



The soil of Great Britain was considered unfit for the productions 

 of horticulture till within the last century. Jt was always unrivalled 

 for the freshness and beauty of its verdure. But, it has been known 

 only within the three or four last generations to have paid great atten- 

 tion to the ornamental cultivation of its pleasure grounds, orlhe proli- 

 tahle produce of its kitchen and fruit gardens. Since the general in- 

 troduction of foicing houses, at the beginning of the eighteenth centu- 

 ry, her noblemen, and other men of taste and opulence, have been won- 

 derfully successful in the finest arts of cultivation. Now there is said 

 to be more certainty of finding pine apples, of domestic growth, in the 

 London market, every day in the year, than there is either in Jamaica 

 or Calcutta. 



The total number of vegetables species, not indigenous in England, 

 introduced previous to the accession of George the 4th, is said to have 

 been 11,970 ; of which the first 47 were brought in before and during 

 the reign of Henry VIIL ; 533 during that of Elizabeth ; 578 during 

 the reign of the two Charleses, and Cromwell ; 44 in that of James 

 IL ; 298 in that of William and Mary ; 230 in that of Anne ; 182 in 

 that of George L ; 1770 in that of George IL ; and 6766 in that of 

 George HL 



In 1805 a private association for Horticultural objects was commen- 

 ced ill London, which was incorporated by royal charter in 1809. In 

 1803, in Edinburgh, a Florist's Society was instituted, which in 1809 

 enlarged its views, and took the title of the Caledonian Horticultural 

 Society. At Paisley, in Scotland, a Florist's Society was some tin)e 

 ago established, of which an eminent writer observes, that " the rear- 

 ing of beautiful flowers is found to improve the taste for manufactur- 

 ing elegant patterns of fancy muslin ; while the Florists of Paisley 

 have been long remarked for the peacefulness of their dispositions, 

 and the sobriety of their manners." 



The benefits of such associations are numerous, and of great im- 

 portance to the human family. 



