OPERATIONS OP ORDER AND KEEPING. 



409 



imperfectly constituted can carry on its functions but for a more or less 

 limited time, even under the most favourable circumstances. 



870. "NV^e have dwelt longer on this subject than may appear necessary, 

 because we consider the civilisation of wild plants by cultivation, the originat- 

 ing of new varieties of those already in our gardens from seed, or of wild plants 

 from accidental variations, among the most interesting and rational amuse- 

 ments which can engage the amateur. There is a great deal of enjoyment 

 in displaying our power over plants in propagating them, by cuttings, leaves, 

 and the different modes of grafting and budding ; but greater still is that of 

 creating new kinds of fruits or flowers by cross-fecundation, or improving a 

 wild plant so as entirely to change its character. As examples of what may 

 be done, we may, among culinary vegetables, refer to the common carrot, 

 which in five generations from seed, in as many years, has been brought 

 from a wild state to be fit for the table, by M. Vilmorin ; and among flowers 

 to the heartsease, which in the course of the last twenty years has by cross- 

 breeding and selection, been raised from a flower with thin crumpled petals 

 and irregular shape, to one of our most symmetrical and flat firm-petalled 

 florists' flow^ers. We conclude by reminding the amateur that the blossoms 

 or fruits produced by newly-originated plants the first or second year, are 

 often inferior to what the same plant will produce when it has acquired a 

 greater degree of vigour ; and that to do justice to new varieties of herbaceous 

 plants, they should be allow^ed to flower at least two years, and ligneous 

 plants to flower and fruit, three or even four years, before they are rejected. 



§ XXI. Operations of Order and Keeping. 



871. By order is to be understood that relation of objects to one another, 

 which shows that the one follows the other as an obvious or natural conse- 

 quence. Thus, suppose that on entering a kitchen-garden we observe a border 

 along the walk separated from the larger compartment by a continuous espalier 

 rail ; this rail we naturally expect will be continued all round the garden, 

 or if interrupted it will be by some obvious and satisfactory cause. Suppose 

 the line of railing discontinued without any obvious reason ; in that case we 

 should say there was a want of order. Still more so should we be stnick wdth a 

 want of order, if the walk were bordered by dw^arf fniit- trees, not in a straight 

 line or in a line parallel to that of the walk, but sometimes nearer and some- 

 times farther from it, and with the trees also at irregular distances in the line. 

 There is a secondary meaning in which the vrord order is used among gar- 

 deners, which has reference to keeping ; and thus a border of flowers or 

 other plants confused with weeds w^ould be said to be disorderly, or not in 

 order. In the former case, the term refers to design, and in the latter to 

 management ; and it may be easily conceived that the unfavourable impres- 

 sion on a stranger is much graver in the case in which it is of a permanent 

 nature, than in the other where it is only temporary. Neatness, as applied 

 to horticultural scenes and objects, may be considered as synonymous with 

 cleanliness. 



872. The term keeping in horticulture relates to the degree of order and 

 neatness which are maintained in management ; and hence the expressions, 

 badly kept, highly kept. A garden that is in high order and keeping must 

 have been correctly laid out and planted at first, and cultivated and managed 

 with great care afterw^ards. This care must not be devoted merely to some 

 particular department, or to some object under the gardener s charge, but 



