180 



HORTICULTURE. 



History. 



.Marshall 



Spcechly. 

 Forsyth. 



Botanical 

 Magazine. 



Maddock. 



Cashing. 



Knight. 



" The Rritisli Fruit Gardener," ." The Complete For- 

 ctng Gardener," and " The Complete Kitchen Gar- 

 dener and Hot-bed Forcer," and still other books of 

 similar import. It is perhaps to be regretted that he 

 was induced by booksellers to multiply his publica- 

 tions so much, this circumstance having tended to bring 

 upon him the imputation of book-making, and to ex- 

 cite some degree of prejudice against him. In point 

 of fact, however, he understood the business of garden- 

 ing extremely well, and his writings altogether afford a 

 very complete view of horticultural operations. 



16. Another deservedly popular work on horticul- 

 ture remains to be noticed. It is written by the Rev. 

 Charles Marshall, a clergyman of the church of Eng- 

 land, who is evidently a very zealous amateur gardener. 

 The title is, " An Introduction to the Knowledge and 

 Practice of Gardening/' A great deal of correct infor- 

 mation is here condensed into little space, and convey- 

 ed in perspicuous and unaffected language. There is 

 subjoined to it a compendious calendar, better calculated, 

 we think, to be useful as a remembrancer, than any 

 one published since the time of Evelyn. 



1 7. The " Dictionary of Gardening," bearing to be 

 written by Alexander Macdonald, gardener, in two vo- 

 lumes 4to, is an expensive work which has not acquired 

 much reputation. It appears to be little more than a 

 compilation, and is certainly not the work of a practical 

 gardener ; but it necessarily includes a great deal of use- 

 ful information. Of late years, the culture of the vine 

 and of the pine-apple has been very well treated by 

 Speechly, in separate works. Forsyth's " Treatise on 

 Fruit-trees and their diseases, with a particular method 

 of cure," first appeared in 1791, in 4to. The royal 

 patronage, kindly bestowed on an old and meritorious 

 servant, secured to this work a considerable degree of 

 attention, and even procured for the author the extraor- 

 dinary distinction of a parliamentary reward. Many 

 excellent remarks are to be found in the book. In 

 1802, it was republished with improvements in an oc- 

 tavo form. 



18. Curtis's " Botanical Magazine" was begun in 

 1787 ; and it has been continued in monthly numbers, 

 with little intermission, ever since ; Dr Sims having 

 edited the work since Mr Curtis's death. Important 

 hints are frequently thrown out as to the habits, mode 

 of cultivation, and uses, of the plants described and 

 figured. Maddock's " Florist's Directory/' appeared in 

 1792; and it is -still the standard book of instructions 

 for the cultivation of the hyacinth, tulip, ranunculus, 

 anemone, auricula, carnation, pink, and polyanthus, 

 the favourites of the florist, strictly so called. The 

 " Exotic Gardener," by J. Gushing, foreman to Messrs 

 Lee and Kennedy of Hammersmith, is the latest and 

 best treatise on the management of the hot-house, green- 

 house, and conservatory ; and on the soils suitable to 

 tender exotics in general. 



19- In the Philosophical Transactions for 1795, the 

 first of Mr Thomas Andrew Knight's horticultural pa- 

 pers made its appearance : it is entitled, Observations 

 on the grafting of trees. In the Transactions for 1 799, 

 1801, and 1803, are contained his ingenious papers on 

 the fecundation of fruits, and on the sap of trees. His 

 excellent little " Treatise on the culture of the Apple 

 and Pear," was published in 1797. He has presented 

 several interesting communications to the Horticul- 

 tural Society of London, which are published in the 

 Transactions of that Society, to be afterwards no- 

 ticed. 



In the hasty sketch which has now been given 

 of horticultural writers in England, many have been 



passed over, some of whom would deserve notice, and History. 

 perhaps commendation, in a more detailed account. * "V^ ' 



20. Scotland has been more distinguished for produ- 

 cing excellent practical gardeners than good publica- 

 tions on the art of gardening. There does not appear 

 to have existed any Scottish system of gardening, as a 

 separate book, till the beginning of the 18th century, 

 when " The Scots Gard'ner'" was published by John 

 Reid, gardener to Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh. Rel< ~ 

 The work is divided into two parts ; the first treating 



of contriving and planting of gardens, orchards, ave- 

 nues, and groves ; the second, of the propagation and 

 improvement of forest and fruit trees, kitchen herbs, 

 roots and fruits; with a gardener's calendar; the whole 

 adapted to the climate of Scotland. The style is very 

 inaccurate; but the matter evinces not only an ac- 

 quaintance with previous horticultural works, but a 

 practical knowledge of the subject. About thirty years 

 after the publication of Reid's book, there appeared 

 '' The Scots Gardener's Director, by James Justice, Justice. 

 F. R. S. and one of the principal clerks of Session,'' ('. e. of 

 the Court of Session or supreme civil court of Scotland.) 

 This is characterized by Professor Martyn, as " an ori- 

 ginal and truly valuable work, founded upon reflection 

 and experience." Nearly at the same time Dr Gibson Gibson, 

 published an anonymous octavo volume on fruit-trees, 

 containing many useful remarks, and some curious no- 

 tices concerning the history of the most esteemed apples 

 and pears of Scottish origin, or which are generally 

 supposed to be of Scottish origin. In 1 774, there ap- 

 peared a small octavo volume entitled, " The Planter's, 

 Florist's and Gardener's Pocket Dictionary, by James 

 Gordon, nurseryman at Fountainbridge near Edin- Gordon, 

 burgh." It is avowedly a compilation ; but the author 

 being a practical gardener, occasionally gives his own 

 opinions and practice. It has already been seen, that 

 several of the Scottish gardeners who have settled in 

 England, have attained distinction as authors. We al- 

 lude, in particular, to Abercrombie, the voluminous 

 writer lately spoken of, and to Forsyth, the author of 

 the Treatise on Fruit-trees. 



21. Among the recent Scottish writers on gardening, 

 one remains to be mentioned, who will long hold a dis- 

 tinguished place, the late Mr Walter Nicol. He was the 

 son of the gardener who planned and executed the ex- 

 tensive pleasure-grounds of Raith in Fifeshire ; and here 

 he received his horticultural education. He afterwards 

 acted for some time as gardener to the Marquis of 

 Townsend at Reinhamhall in the county of Norfolk ; 

 but he left England in order to take charge of the fine 

 gardens and grounds of General Wemyss of Wemyss- 

 Castle in Fife, the improvements there having been 

 conducted under the directions of his father. Here he 

 observed a praiseworthy practice now too much np- 

 glected by head-gardeners, that of instructing his 

 young men or assistants, not only in botany, but in 

 writing, arithmetic, geometry and mensuration. He 

 used to remark, that he thus not only improved his 

 scholars, but taught himself, and made his knowledge 

 so familiar, that he could apply it in the daily business 

 of Hfe. In this way he gradually became qualified to 

 communicate his information to the public. In 1797 

 the first of his works appeared, under the title of " The 

 Scots forcing Gardener," in one volume octavo. About 

 this time he changed his mode of life, and dedicated 

 his whole attention to the planning and improving of 

 ornamental grounds. In 1803 he published the " Prac- 

 tical Planter," a book which both increased his reputa- 

 tion as a writer, and extended his employment as an 

 improver. In 1809, appeared the " Villa Garden Di- 



