HISTORY OF GARDENING. 



Paiit I. 



cepting those of China, is European, and generally either Dutch, French, or English. 

 We shall notice slightly, 1st, The aboriginal gardening of modem Persia and India; 2d, 

 Of China ; 3d, The state of gardening in North America ; and 4th, In the British 

 colonies and other settlements abroad. 



Sect. I. Syrian, Persian, Indian, and j4frican Gardens of modern Times. 



457. The outlines i)f a Jewish garden, nearly 3000 years ago, coincide with the gardens 

 formed in the same countries at the present day. Blaundrel in the fourteenth century, 

 Russel in the seventeenth, Chardin in the eighteenth, and Morier in the nineteenth cen- 

 turies, enumerate the same trees and plants mentioned by Moses, Diodorus, and Hero- 

 dotus, without any additions. The same elevation of site for the palace (^5^. 33.); the same 

 terraces in front of it; and the same walls and towers surrounding the whole for security, 

 still prevail as in the time of Solomon and his successors. Maundrel describes the gar- 

 den of the Emir Facardine, at Beroot, as a large quadrangular spot of ground divided 

 into sixteen lesser squares, four in a row, with walks between them, and planted with 

 citron-trees. Each of the lesser squares was bordered with stone, and in the stone-work 

 were troughs, very artificially contrived for conveying the water all over the garden, 

 tliere being little outlets cut at every tree, for the stream as it passed by to flow out and 

 water it. On the east side were two terrace-walks, rising one above the other, each 

 having an ascent to it of twelve steps. At the north end they led into booths and 

 summer-houses, and other apartments very delightful. {Travels from Aleppo to Jeru- 

 salem, p. 40.) 



458. The gardens of Damascus are described by Egmont and Heyman as perfect 

 paradises, being watered with copious streams from Lebanon ; and in the Account of the 

 Ruins of Balbeck, the streams are said to be derived from Lebanus and Anti-LebanuSj 

 and the shades of the palms and elms are described as exquisite in that burning climate. 

 The time of the singing of birds is mentioned in Solomon s Song as a season of great 

 pleasure, and then as novv, they no doubt constituted a material article in fine gardens. 

 Russel observes, that *' in Syria there are abundance of nightingales, which not only 

 afford much pleasure by their songs in the gardens, but are also kept tame in the houses, 

 and let out at a small rate to divert such as choose it in the spring, so that no entertain- 

 ments are made in this season without a concert of these birds. " {Natural Hist, of Aleppo^ 

 p. 71.) 



459. The gardens of the Persians, obsei-ves Sir John Chardin, in 1732, " consist 

 commonly of a grand alley or straight avenue in the centre planted with planes (the 

 zinzar, or chenar of the east), which divides the garden into two parts. There is a 

 basin of water in the middle, proportionate to the garden, and two other lesser ones on 

 the two sides. The space between them is sown with a mixture of flowers in natural 

 confusion, and planted with fruit-trees and roses, and this is the whole of the plan and 

 execution, They know nothing of parterres and cabinets of verdure, labyrinths, ter- 

 races, and such other ornaments of our gardens. The reason of which is, that the 

 Persians do not walk in their gardens as we do, but content themselves with having 

 the view of them, and breatliing the fresh air. For this purpose they seat themselves 

 in some part of the garden as soon as they come into it, and remain there till they go 

 out." According to the same author, the most eastern part of Persia, Hyrcania, is one 

 entire and continued parterre from September to the end of April. " All the country 

 is covered with flowers, and this is also the best season for fruits, since in the other 

 months they cannot support the heat and unhealthy state of the air. Towards Media 

 and the northern frontiers of Arabia, the fields produce of themselves tulips, anemones, 

 single ranunculuses of the most beautiful red, and crown imperials. In other places, as 

 around Ispahan, jonquils are wild and flower all the winter. In the season of narcissus. 



