296 Histoiy of the English Landed Interest. 



described by Pliny tlie Younger, wliicli bad survived up to tbis 

 date in Italy, and came over to tbese sbores witb tbe Renais- 

 sance arcbitects. It would bave been better for tbeir owners 

 if tbey bad looked up tbe original description, since tbey 

 migbt bave been induced to searcb for some of tbe esculents 

 mentioned by tbis ancient bistorian. Tbe weak point of a 

 Tudor garden was undoubtedly its store of vegetables. Queen 

 Catberine bad to send all tbe way to tbe Hague wben sbe 

 wanted a salad. ^ Tbe potato was only just being experimented 

 upon by Raleigb in Ireland. Turnips' were not to be intro- 

 duced for anotber century. Carrots, wliicb Pliny bad pro- 

 bably eaten in Candia, and wbicb Gerarde, wbo lived at tbe 

 latter end of tbe Tudor era, bad mentioned as cultivated in 

 Germany, were yet to arrive in tbese islands. Leeks, tbougb 

 mentioned by Sbakespeare, did not widely establisb tbemselves 

 in Englisb soil till after tbeir importation from Switzerland in 

 1562. Tbe articboke was only just coming into use ; and save 

 onions, cabbages, cauliflowers, broccoli, tbe recently imported 

 bop, possibly parsnips, wild strawberries and a plentiful 

 variety of berbs, it is doubtful if tbe closest searcb could bave 

 brougbt to ligbt any otber growtb except weeds, under tbe 

 brandies of tbe fruit trees in tbe Tudor orcbard. Tbat atten- 

 tion was being now concentrated on tbe improvement of 

 gardens is patent not only from tbe introduction of fresb plants 

 and seeds during tbis particular century, but from tbe superior 

 class of men employed as gardeners. Jobn Gerarde, wbo began 

 life as a surgeon, was Lord Burleigb's cbief gardener during 

 Elizabetb's reign, and boasted of tending tbe best collection of 

 plants in tbe kingdom. He not only introduced into bis 

 master's garden manycboice exotics, but set up a large botanic 

 garden at Holborn, and publisbed a catalogue of its 1,033 species. 

 Tbis IlerhaJ., printed in folio in 15!J7, is supposed to bave been 

 an enlarged and translated edition of tbe old work Pemptade.^^ 

 written by Dodonseus.^ Be tbis as it may, tbere is no doubt 



» Hume's Iltst. of Engl., ch. 23. 



^ Tusser mentions, however, turnips as a kitchen-garden root to boil 

 with butter. 

 ^ Eees, Cyclo.,sub voc. "Gerarde." 



