VOL. LV.— No. 3,049. 



SATURDAY, APRIL 6, 1912 



J 



■ 4 



THE 



GARDENERS 



MAGAZINE 



NOTE OF THE WEEK. 



its immediate parents and ancestors, from and which are ho'uul to be afforte<l by 



4- 



Environment. 



In the process of evolution of both ani- In an ordinary garden, where 



whom it derives its constitution and pecu- 

 liarities. It also embraces its relations 

 w^ith all the other forms of organic life 



which may affect it either as friend or fot'. 



rthiii*:; 



mals and plants, the innate power of adap- 

 tation to different circumstances of their 

 surroundings ha^ undoubtedly played the 

 chief role in bringing about that wonderful 

 diversity which characterises their innumer- 

 able types. It must be largely due to this 



power that we owe all the orders, genera, geneous ; 

 and species, and also the varie- 

 ties with which particularly it 

 is the province of the animal 

 breeder and the selective hor- 

 ticultural and agricultural cul- 

 tivator to deal. Nevertheless, 

 despite the immense amount 

 of study which has been de- 

 voted to the question as to 

 how far the power of response 

 to environmental stimuli has 

 led up to this diversity^ it is 

 still regarded as an open ques- 

 tion, and the actual cause of 



is done that can be done to favour plant 

 development, the environment, viewed 

 supei'ficially^ may appear to be simple 

 enough, but in point of fact no two spots 

 are identical in this respect. The soil, how- 

 ever carefully tilled, is never quite homo- 



the tender rootlets of young 



variation as an entirely un- 

 solved one. Some scientists 

 maintain 



spe- 

 but 



that without 

 change of environment 

 cies remain constant ; 

 there is a great mass of evi- 

 dence on the other side, in the 

 shape of quite unaccountable 

 sports," where the environ- 

 mental conditions appear to 

 be identical, which go far to 

 contradict that theory, and 

 leave the question as much as 

 ever in statu quo ante. In 

 point of fact, the great mys- 

 tery of the ^^cell," and the 

 profundity of the marvel which 



the 



nu- 



change is introduced, 



or 



»s mcorporated in 

 ^^leus" of that cell, are em- 

 bodied in matter of so mic ro- 

 scopic a nature as praet'cally 

 to defy investigation; and, as it is pre- 

 cisely in the primary cell of every sport " 

 that tlie subtle 



jriginates, whicli eventually leads to dif- 

 ference of structure and even of function, 



aiued by the fact that 

 J^'hen such differenci^ ai)poa\\s it is far too 

 late to investigate its origin, 

 to ascertain whether any environmental 

 iwal difference <letermined it. Environ- 

 jnent, too, is a very broad term, since, in 

 the case of a plant, it embraces not merelv 

 the temporary local conditions of the habi- 

 tat of the individual concerned, nor tliose 

 ot climate, soil, humidity, etc., but also the 

 varying phases of these throughout its 

 ^stence, and even prior to it, as affecting 



MR. J. ROGKHS. 

 Superintendent of Battersea Park. 



plants are unequally favoured or handi- 

 capped ; and below the surface the com- 

 petition of other roots, the intrusion of 



external conditions, and therefore to vary 

 as do the plants themselves, thriving here 

 iuid failing there^ and thus inevitably add- 

 ing to the complication of factors wliirh 

 reiuh'r the environment even in a small 

 suburban garden anything but a sim[»i»' 

 matttu" of light and shade. Added lo all 

 tirs. wo havt^ tbo most variable factor of 

 all, the weather, with all its inniin-erahh^ 

 phases of wet and <lrv, heal aiirl ( old. calms, 

 gentle breezes, and stormy winds, each ami 

 every one of wlii( li plays its part as an en- 

 vironmental factor in the life 

 of a plant ; and. in the case of 

 an ol<l tree, has had a <lefinite 

 record, it {(nild onlv deci- 



■ 



pher it, written in every ring 

 of its massive trunk. Bearins: 

 all these <li\orsit ies in ]nin<l, 

 and remembciing tliat they 

 are universal, it is seen liow 

 difficult it must be to deter- 

 m.ine the umhu'lvino; cause or 

 causes of res]>onsive vaiiation 

 to which specific evolution un- 

 doubtedlv owes so much, but 

 which, for the reason given, we 



as such, but 



can only ass 



not assert. 



Mr. J. 



perintendent 



The 



important London park must 

 nee<ls have ability of no mean 

 order, wide experience, and 

 cultural and executive skill. 

 Such qualities are to be found 

 in Mr. J. Rogers, who has 

 been superintendent of Batter- 

 sea Park, one of London's most 

 beautiful and 



spaces, sUK t 

 commence<l 



Ma^ 

 his 



famou> open 

 Wm, He 



gardening 



at 



career at an early age 

 Hiu'sley Park. Hants, then the 

 lesidcnVe of the late Sir W. 

 Heathcote, Bart., and adde<l to h's expe- 



hv a cours<^ of training in several 



In 



rience 



private establishments in Hami>shire. 



petition ot otner roots, tne mtruttiou ui i^,..,,,.^ *^ni 



Jvon^s, etc., come in as d sturbing factors. 1877 he .ame to London. ^^^^ ''T^ 

 .Ibove the soil the presence or absence ot ployed at Fm«bury Park, Jhen unde. the 



neighbouring walls or trees, oi' other plants, 

 determines differences of shelter from, or 



Boar 



ral vcars- service there he was sent to High- 

 ly lai v\jyj aeLei'iiiiiies uiiiereiicfs ui ainriL^i a^^xx.., jui \t««i.^ 



much less exposure to. wind and sun at all points; bury Fields as foreman m charge ot ttie 



' ^ ' , . . - ^1^.^^ C7...nA 



while in the plant concerned, it nuiy ha\e work of 

 flavours or odours which repel or attract 

 other organisms, all of wliich. as we have 

 said, must be regarded as environmental 

 factors. The soil itself, apart from its 

 chemical con.stituents, permeability, er 

 otherwise, is, as of late years we have 

 learnt, a veritable cosmos of minute life, 

 wdiich exerts it^ influence in varied degrees, 



laving out 



open space 



Afterwards he was foreman at Soutluvark 

 l»ark. and in July. \>^'^'2. was appointed 

 sn]>erinten(lent of* the Royal V:ct<)na Gar- 

 dens. North \V(M»Iwicli. Five vears later 



was transferred to Kenningten Park, 

 and earlv in IIHIO 



h, 



was promote<l to the 

 snperintendence of Waterlow Park. High- 

 Promotion to Soutliwark Park fol- 



gate. 



