452 ORIGIN OF CULTIVATED PLANTS 



tions within the last two thousand years took place in a 

 very irregular and intermittent manner. I cannot quote 

 a single species cultivated for the first time after that date 

 by the Chinese, the great cultivators of ancient times. 

 The peoples of Southern and Western Asia innovated in 

 a certain degree by cultivating the buckwheats, several 

 cucurbitaeese, a few alliums, etc. In Europe, the Komans 

 and several peoples in the Middle Ages introduced the 

 cultivation of a few vegetables and fruits, and that of 

 several fodders. In Africa a few species were then first 

 cultivated separately. After the voyages of Vasco di 

 Gama and of Columbus a rapid diffusion took place of 

 the species already cultivated in either hemisphere. 

 These transports continued during three centuries with- 

 out any introduction of new species into cultivation. 

 In the two or three hundred years which preceded the 

 discovery of America, and the two hundred which fol- 

 lowed, the number of cultivated species remained almost 

 stationary. The American strawberries, Diospyros irir- 

 giniana, sea-kale, and Tetragonia expansa introduced in 

 the eighteenth century, have but little importance. We 

 must come to the middle of the present century to find 

 new cultures of any value from the utilitarian point of 

 view, such as Eucalyptus globulus of Australia and the 

 Cinchonas of South America. 



The mode of introduction of the latter species shows 

 the great change which has taken place in the means of 

 transport. Previously the cultiva;tion of a plant began 

 in the country where it existed, whereas the Australian 

 Eucalyptus was first planted and sown in Algeria, and 

 the Cinchonas of America in the south of Asia. XJp to 

 our own day botanical or private gardens had only 

 diffused species already cultivated somewhere ; now they 

 introduce absolutely new cultures. The royal garden at 

 Kew is distinguished in this respect, and other botanical 

 gardens and acclimatization societies in England and else- 

 where are making similar attempts. It is probable that 

 tropical countries will greatly profit by this in the course 

 of a century. Others will also find their advantage from 

 the growing facility in the transport of commodities. 



