94 



HISTORY OF GARDENING. 



Part L 



writings of Lord Kames also contributed to bring tliis, and every d<?scription of rural 

 improvement into repute ; but the high price of timber during the war produced tlie 

 most sensible effect as to planting. 



428. The two first tree-nurseries in Scotland were established at Edinburgh, about tlie 

 beginning of the eighteenth century, by Malcolm, at the Water Gate, and Gordon, at 

 the Fountain Bridge. To these succeeded a considerable one by Anderson and 

 Leslie, about 1770. Leslie contributed to render the larch popular, and was the first 

 nurseryman who ventured to erect a greenliouse. Since this period, tree-nm-series are 

 nearly as common in Scotland as in England. 



429. Hedges ivere introduced to Scotland by some officers in Cromwell's army about 

 the middle of the seventeenth century. The first were planted at Inch Buckling Brae, 

 in East Lothian, and at tlie head of Loch Tay, in Perthshire. The former hedge was 

 in existence in 1804, and then consisted of a single row of old hawtliorns. They are 

 now general in all the low and tolerably fertile and sheltered parts of the country ; 

 contributing with the plantations to ameliorate the climate, and greatly to improve the 

 scenery. 



SuBSECT. 3. Gardening in Ireland, in respect to the planting of Timber-trees and 



Hedges. 



430. Trees ajypear to have covered Ireland in former times. " Though in every part 

 of Ireland, in which I have been," observes A. Young, in 1777, {Tour, vol. ii. 2d edit.) 

 ** one hundred contiguous acres are not to be found without evident signs that they 

 were once wood, at least veiy well wooded ; yet now the greatest part of the kingdom 

 exhibits a naked, bleak, dreary view, for want of wood, which has been destroyed for a 

 century past with the most careless prodigality, and still continues to be cut and wasted. 

 The woods yet remaining are what in England would be called copses. The gentlemen 

 in that country are much too apt to think they have got timber, when in fact they have 

 got notliing but fine large copse- wood." Shaw Mason, in a Statistical Survey of 

 Ireland, lately published, says there were natural woods in some places in James II. 's 

 time ; but he produces very few instances of artificial plantations of full growth, and 

 none of older date than the middle of the seventeenth century, when it appears, that 

 through the instigation of Blythe and otiier officers in Cromw-ell's army, some gentlemen 

 began to plant and improve. The late Lord Chief Baron Foster was the greatest 

 planter when A. Young visited Ireland, and his lordship informed the tourist that 

 the great spirit for this sort of improvement began about 1749 and 1750. 



431. Hedges, as fences, were probably, as in Scotland, introduced by the officers of 

 Cromwell's army. 



Sect. V. British Gardening, as empirically practised. 



432. The use of gardens, is perhaps more general in England and Scotland than in 

 any other country, if we except Holland. The laborious journeyman-mechanic, whose 

 residence, in large cities, is often in the air, rather than on the earth, decorates his garret- 

 window with a garden of pots. Tlie deljtor deprived of personal liberty, and the pauper 

 in the work-house, divested of all property in external tilings, and without any -fixed 

 object on which to place their affections, sometimes resort to this symbol of territorial 

 appropriation and enjoyment. So natural it is for all to fancy they have an inherent 

 right in the soil ; and so necessary to happiness to exercise the affections, by having some 

 object on which to place them. 



433. Almost every cottage in England has its ajipendant garden, larger or smaller, and 

 slovenly or neatly managed, according to circumstances. In the best districts of 

 England, the principal oleraceous vegetables, some salads, herbs, flowers, and fruits are 

 cultivated ; and in the remote parts of Scotland, at least potatoes and borecoles are 

 planted. Tradesmen and operative manufacturers, who have a permanent interest in 

 their cottages, have generally the best cottage-gardens ; and many of them, especially at 

 Norwich, Manchester, and Paisley, excel in the culture of florists' flowers. 



434. The gardens of farmers are larger, but seldom better managed than those of the 

 common cottagers, and not often so well as those of the operative manufacturers in 

 England. They are best managed in Kent and in East Lothian. 



435. The gardens and grounds of citizens, who have country-houses, may be, in size, 

 from an eighth of an acre to a hundi-ed acres or upwards. Such a latitude, it may 

 easily be conceived, admits of great variety of kitchen-gardens, hot-houses, flower-gar- 

 dens, and pleasure-grounds. They are, in general, the best managed gardens in Britain, 

 and constitute the principal scenery, and the greatest ornament of the neighbourhood 

 of every large town. Those round the Metropolis, Liverpool, and Edinburgh are 

 pre-eminent. 



436. The gardens of independent gentlemen of middling fortune vary considerably in 

 dimension. Few of the lutchen-gardens are under an acre, the flower-garden may 

 contain a fourth or a third of an acre, and the pleasure-ground from three to ten or 



