106 



HISTORY OF GARDENING. 



Part I 



and of an introduction to botany. The garden of W. Hamilton, Esq. of Woodlands, is 

 one of the best in America ; that of Elgin has been already mentioned. 



486. Forest-trees. — Michaux's work on the trees of America is the fruit of two voyages, 

 in 1 802 and 1 806. The number of trees which in America grow above thirty feet high, 

 which he has seen and describes, is one hundred and thirty-seven, of which eighty-five 

 are employed in the arts. In France there are only thirty-seven which rise to that height, 

 of which eighteen serve to form timber-plantations, and of these seven only are employed 

 in civil and marine constructions. Michaux acknowledges his obligations to W. Hamil- 

 ton, " an enlightened amateur of the sciences and arts," who pleases himself in uniting 

 at liis magnificent residence at Woodlands, near Pliiladelphia, not only all the useful 

 vegetables of the United States, but those of every country of the world, which may oflfer 

 any interest in the arts or in medicine. (Litroduction, 10.) From the Transactions of 

 the Society of Agriculture of New York, we learn, that hawthorn hedges and other live 

 fences are generally adopted in the cultivated districts ; but the time is not yet arrived 

 for forming timber-plantations. 



Sect. IV. Gardening in Spanuih N^orth America, or Mexico. 



487. The gardening of the Mexicans is described by the Abb^ Clavigero, in his History of 

 Mexico. According to this author, when the Mexicans were brought into subjection to the 

 Calhuan and Tepanecan nations, and confined to the miserable little islands on the lake, 

 they ceased for some years to cultivate the land, because they had none until necessity and 

 industry together taught them to form moveable fields and gardens, which floated on the 

 waters of the lake. The mode of forming these of wicker-work, water-plants, and mud, 

 may be easily conceived. The boat or basis is commonly eight perches long by three 

 broad. They first cultivated tlie maize and useful plants only, but afterwards " there 

 were among them gardens of flowers and odoriferous plants, which were employed in 

 the worship of the gods, and served for the recreation of the nobles." At present they 

 cultivate flowers, and every sort of garden-herbs upon them, all of which thrive sur- 

 prisingly. In the largest gardens there is commonly a little tree, and even a little hut 

 to shelter the cultivator, and defend him from rain or the sun. "When the owner of a 

 garden wishes to change his situation, to remove from a disagreeable neighbour, or come 

 nearer to his own family, he gets into his little vessel, and by his own strength alone, if 

 the garden is small, or with aid, if it be large, he tows it after him, and conducts it where 

 he pleases with the little tree and hut on it. That part of the lake where the gardens 

 are, is a place of infinite recreation, where the senses receive the highest possible grati- 

 fication. The Mexicans were extremely well skilled in the cultivation of kitchen and 

 other gardens, in which they planted, with great regularity and taste, fruit-trees, and 

 medicinal ' plants and flowers. The last of these were much in demand, bunches of 

 flowers being presented to persons of rank, kings, lords, and ambassadors, and also used 

 in temples and private oratories. 



488. The royal gardens of Mexico a nd Tezcuco, and those of the Lords of Iztapalapan and 

 Huantepec, have been much celebrated. One, belonging to the Lord of Iztapalapan was 

 laid out in four squares, and planted with great variety of trees, through which a number 

 of roads and paths led, some formed by fruit-bearing trees, and others by espaliers of 

 flowering shrubs and aromatic plants. It was watered by canals, and had in the centre 

 a fish-pond four hundred yards in diameter, where innumerable water-fowl resorted. 

 Hernandez says, this garden contained many foreign trees. The garden of Huantepec 

 was six miles in circumference, watered by a river, planted with numerous species of trees 

 and plants beautifully disposed, along with pleasure-houses. Many foreign plants were 

 cultivated, and evei-y kind of medicinal plant belonging to that clime, for the use of the 

 hospital which they founded tliere. Cortez, in a letter to Charles V. in 1522, told him 

 that this garden was the most extensive, the most beautiful, and most delightful which 

 had ever been beheld. Bernard Dias and other authors concur in the same opinion. 

 The Mexicans paid great attention to the preservation of woods, which supplied them 

 with timber and fuel. {^History of Mexico, i. 379.) 



489. A conventual garden at Mexico is described by Humboldt {Voyage, &c. liv. iii. 

 chap. 8.), in 180S, as one of the finest he had ever seen. The convent was a very pic- 

 turesque building, and in the garden were inunense groves of orange-trees, peaches, 

 apples, cherries, and otiier fruit-trees of Europe. 



490. The royal botanic garden, in the promenade (cowrs) of the vice-king's palace, Hum- 

 boldt describes as small, but extremely rich in vegetables, rare, or interesting for industry 

 and commerce. 



491. The floating gardens, or chinam jyas, mentioned by the Abb^ Clavigero, he says still 

 exist. They are of two sorts ; the one mobile and blown here and there by the winds, and 

 the others fixed and united to the shore. The former alone merit the appellation of floating, 

 and they are diminishing day by day. He assigns to them the same origin as the Ahhe 

 Clavigero j but thinks it probable that nature also may have suggested the first idea, 



