THE 



GARDENERS MAGAZINE, 



JULY, 1826. 



PART I. 

 ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



Art. I. Sketches of the Botanical, Horticultural, Agronomical 

 and Rural Circumstances of Spain. By Don Mariano La 

 Gasca, Professor of Botany in the University of Madrid. 



QPAIN enjoys a prodigious diversity of climates, which 

 enables her to propagate, at small expense, the greater 

 part of the most precious vegetable productions found in 

 every quarter of the globe. This is clearly manifested by the 

 numerous plants from hot countries which thrive in her 

 gardens, and which were introduced by private individuals, 

 from laudable curiosity, or enlightened patriotism. Those 

 which are the production of northern regions are also found 

 growing spontaneously both on the summits of her high moun- 

 tains and on their sloping sides. 



These fine dispositions of nature would, doubtless, have been 

 turned to their advantage by the inhabitants, had not a depraved 

 legislation been purposely throwing, for the space of more than 

 three hundred years, insurmountable obstacles in the way of their 

 efforts. A great many enlightened and patriotic Spaniards have 

 repeatedly, though fruitlessly, endeavoured to overcome them, 

 receiving as a reward for their benevolent zeal, sad and bitter 

 disappointments, persecutions, dungeons, the galleys, expatria- 

 tion, and even death. Such has been the result of their toils, and 

 such will it ever be, in countries where, as in my unfortunate 

 native land, there is no liberty to permit the diffusion of useful 

 knowledge through the medium of the press, — where only 



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