205 



SCIENCE OF GARDENING. 



Part II. 



965. The most universal plants are the agamous 

 families. Their germs are the only ones which nature 

 developes spontaneously in all climates. The poly- 

 trychum commune (Jig. 70. ) grows in all latitudes ; in 

 Europe and under the equator ; on high mountains and 

 on a level with the sea ; in short, wherever there is 

 shade ^nd humidity. No phanerogamous plants have 

 organs sufficiently flexible to accommodate themselves in 

 this manner to every zone. Tlie alsine media, fragaria 

 vesca, and solanum nigrum, have been supposed to enjoy 

 this advantage ; but all tliat can be said is, that these 

 plants are very much spread, like the people of the race 

 of Caucasus, in the nortliern part of the ancient con- 

 tinent. ( Hwnboldt. ) 



Sect. VI. Economical Distribution of Vegetables. 



966. The plants chiefly employed in human economy diff'er in different climates and 

 countries; but some, as the cereal grasses, are in universal use ; and others, as the banana 

 and plantain (fig. 71.), only in the countries which 

 product' tiiem. 



967. The bread-corn of the temperate climates is 

 chiefly wheat and maize ; of the hot climates rice, and 

 of the coldest climates bai-ley. 



968. The edible roots of the old world are chiefly the 

 yam, sweet potatoe, onion, carrot, and turnip ; of the 

 new the potatoe. 



969. 2Vie oleraceous herbs of temperate climates are 

 chiefly the brassica family, and other cruciferae. In 

 hot climates pot-«erbs are little used. Legumes, as 

 the jiea, bean, and kidney-bean, are in general use in 

 most parts of the old world. 



970. The fruits of the northern he?nisphere belong 

 chiefly to the orders of Pomaceae, Amygdalincce, 

 Grossulareae, Rosaceae, Viticece, and Amentaceee. 



The fruits of the East Indies belong chiefly to Myrtaceae, Guttifereae, Aurantea, Musaceae, Palmae, Cu 

 curbitaceje, Myristicece, &c. 



The fruits qf China are chiefly of the orders of Aurante^, Myrtaceae, Rhamnes, Pomaces, Amygda 

 linea?, Palma?, &c. 



Tfie fruits of Africa belong to Sapoteje, Palmse, Chrysobalaneae, Guttiferese, Apocines, PapiUonaceae, 

 Musacea;, and Cucurbitacefe. 



The f ruits of South America belong to Annonacea?, Myrtaceas, Terebintaceae, Myristices, Palmae, Bro- 

 meliaccEe, Sapoteas, Laurin£e, Chrysobalanes-, Musaceae, PapilionaceEe, and Passifloreae. 



971. The most showy herbaceoiis fioivers of the temperate zone belong to Rosaceae, Li- 

 liacese, Irideae, Ericinae, Ranunculacese, Primulaceee, Caryophylless, Gentianeae, &c. 

 Those of the torrid zone belong to the Scitamineae, Amaryllideae, Bignoniaceas, Mela- 

 stomaceas, Magnoliaceae, Papilionaceas, Apocineae, &c. 



The most useful timber-trees of temperate climates are of the pine or fir kind j of warm climates the 

 palm and bamboo. The universal agricultural order is the Graminece. 



Sect. VII. Arithmetical Distribution of Vegetables. 



972. The total number of species of plants known, or believed to exist, amounts to about 

 44,000, of which 38,000 have been described. According to Humboldt and R. Brown, 

 they are thus distributed : in Europe 7000 ; in temperate Asia 1500; in equinoctial Asia 

 and the adjacent islands 4500 ; in Africa 3000 ; in temperate America, in both hemi- 

 spheres, 4000 ; in equinoctial America 13,000 ; in New Holland and the islands of the 

 Pacific Ocean 5000 ; — in all 38,000. In Spitzbergen there are 30 species of perfect 

 plants ; in Lapland 534 ; in Iceland 533 ; in Sweden 1299; in Scotland 900 ; in Britain 

 1400 ; in Brandenburg 2000 ; in Piedmont 2800 ; in Jamaica, Madagascar, and the coast 

 of Coroinandel, from 4000 to 5000. 



Sect. VIII. Distribution of the British Flora, indigenous and exotic. 



973. About thirteen thousand j^lants compose the Hortus Britannicus, or such species 

 as admit of cultivation. Mosses, Fungi, Fuci, Algas, and Lichens are, with a few ex- 

 ceptions, excluded. 



