112 Concluding Observations. 



on Gardening, which Archbishop Whately made time 

 to republish, with notes. Napoleon at St. Helena 

 betook himself to such pursuits to beguile weary 

 hours ; and the late Emperor expended tens of thou- 

 sands in ornamentally planting the parks of Paris ; 

 which work has already largely encouraged improve- 

 ment, and creation of such places in the British 

 Islands, and throughout Christendom, and elsewhere. 

 Slight acquaintance with the history of ornamental 

 gardening for the century, up to our day, shows hosts 

 of choice spirits, who attained high positions in 

 various callings, enjoying it as healthful recreation. 

 In the seventeenth century the Dutch mind became 

 almost deranged, from what has been called Tulipo- 

 mania ; when many individuals expended much more 

 than they could afford for a few roots of their favou- 

 rite flower, and two thousand florins were paid for 

 one of the tulips called Semper Augustus ; and ever 

 since, Holland has been a country to supply Europe 

 with various ornamental plants. For centuries I 

 know not how many Japan and China have been 

 countries of gardens ; and the islands of Great Bri- 

 tain are perhaps more indebted to Japan than to any 

 other country for ornamental plants which suit our 

 climates, and in Japan love of plants and flowers 

 pervades all classes. Mr. Fortune tells us that all the 

 ground about the village of Sumse-Yah is covered 

 with nursery gardens, and that when he visited that 

 country no other part of the world cultivated so- 

 many plants for sale. 



