2 ' STO'^'E PLANTS. 



cultivated a number of plants in their gardens and fields, but 

 tbey never attained to any great degree of eminence in the 

 science, of cultivation. Dioscorides and Pliny were the first 

 among the Eomans to apply themselves to botanical study, 

 but after their time it rapidly died cut. We next find the 

 Arabians occupying themselves in investigating the nature 

 and qualities of plants, principally with the view to their 

 application for medicinal purposes. 



Passing over the dark ages, and coming down to the fif- 

 teenth century, we find that the study of plants again revived, 

 and that the beauties of the vegetable kingdom were ap- 

 preciated by men of high and low degree. In the sixteenth 

 century one Otto Brunfels, of Strasburgh, published a trea- 

 tise on plants, illustrated by wood engravings. From that 

 time forward, the taste for plants went on steadily increas- 

 ing until the time of Linnfeus, whose philosophic writings 

 gave a strong impetus to the delightful study. Since 

 Linnseus's time the knowledge of plants has been vastly 

 extended by the diligent labours and searching inquiries of 

 men of great and active minds, both at home and abroad, 

 of whom among those of our own country may be named 

 Sir Joseph Banks, Sir James Smith, Sir William Hooker, 

 Eobert Brown, Sir Joseph Paxton, Dr. Lindley, Thomas Moore, 

 Dr. Masters, John Smith, Sir Joseph Hooker, &c., &c., men of 

 whom any country might be proud, and with some of whom 

 most plant-growers of the present day have been more or less 

 intimately acquainted. Our continental neighbours can also 

 boast of many equally great men, who have largely increased 

 our knowledge of plants. Thus, in these days, not only may 

 we gather delights from beholding the beautiful workings of 

 nature in her vegetable garb, but we are also enabled to bring 

 her boundless resources to bear practically upon our daily 

 wants and luxuries. 



