12 INTRODUCTION. 



greater progress than amongst ourselves. Introduced 

 into England at an early period, gardening became 

 conspicuous in the reign of Henry VIII. and his imme- 

 diate successors, and met with considerable attention 

 during the reigns of the Stuarts. In the first half of 

 the eighteenth century, Miller, Switzer, and others, la- 

 bored with success in improving the operations, and 

 unfolding the principles of the art ; and these were 

 succeeded by Abercrombie, Speedily, and a host of 

 writers, who added greatly to our stores of knowledge. 

 In 1805 was established the Horticultural Society of 

 London, which was followed, in 1809, by the institution 

 of the Caledonian Horticultural Society at Edinburgh; 

 and in their train have sprung up a multitude of pro- 

 vincial gardening societies, all of which have given an 

 impulse to the public mind, and stimulated the exer- 

 tions of individuals. Experimental gardens have been 

 formed, in which, amongst other things, the important 

 task of distinguishing and classifying the numerous 

 varieties of our hardy fruits has been zealously prose- 

 cuted. The mass of information now collected is very 

 great, and the labor expended in its diffusion unwea- 

 ried. Judging from the literature of the day, and pass- 

 ing downwards from the sumptuous Transactions of the 

 Metropolitan Society, through the numerous periodi- 

 cals, to the penny information for the people, we shall 

 scarcely find any art, however nationally important, 

 which receives more attention, or on which the liberality 

 of the wealthy is more abundantly bestowed. The pub- 

 lic nursery-gardens, too, both at London and elsewhere, 

 establishments intimately connected with our subject, 

 and which, in a manufacturing nation, are not the least 

 wonderful amongst the applications of skill and capital, 



