CHAP. VI. 



CONCLUSION. 



191 



the clifterent_ countries situated in temperate climates, which are not indi- 

 genous to Britain, with the catalogues of plants considered as already intro- 

 duced into this country, it will be'found that there are some names of species 

 and varieties, in the lists of almost every country, that are not in British 

 catalogues, and, consequentlj^, not yet introduced'. There are a number of 

 naines, for example, that are not in our Horlus Britminicus. Here, then, is 

 an important use in giving these lists, because they point out to commercial 

 gardeners, and to amateurs and travellers who\re botanists, what trees 

 and shrubs it is desirable to enquire after in other countries ,■ and what they 

 should endeavour, if possible, to introduce into their own. It may also be 

 observed, that the same names that are in the lists in preceding" chapters 

 frequently occur in British catalogues; yet it is by no means certain that in 

 every case they are applied to the same plants. Here, then, is another point 

 calling for the exertions of the patriotic botanist or traveller; and it may be 

 observed respecting this point, that it will always be the safest side to err on, 

 to reintroduce plants wdiich are already in the country, rather than to jemain 

 in any doubt respecting our possessing them. All trees and shrubs liable 

 to great variations, and of great utility or ornament, such as the genera 

 Quercus, Pinus, Pyrus, Cratag'gus, &c., ought to be introduced in all their 

 varieties. We are persuaded that there are, in France and Spain, many inte- 

 restmg varieties of Pinus, and of Quercus Cerris and Q. Plex, which have 

 not yet found their way into British gardens. The Quercus australis, re- 

 cently introduced in consequence of the information given by Captain Cook 

 <;see p. 171. \ may be cited as a proof of this; and there are, doubtless, hun- 

 dreds of species and varieties of trees and shrubs in North America, that 

 have never yet been seen in Europe. There is, therefore, ample room for 

 exertion, to those who wish to increase the botanical riches of their country j 

 and more especially in the case of that kind of botanical riches which adds so 

 conspicuously and permanently to its ornament, and to its useful resources. 

 It would, however, be a very contracted view of this subject, to limit our 

 views to the aggrandisement of the collections of trees and shrubs in Britain. 

 The time for believing that the exclusive possession of any benefit contributes 

 to the prosperity or happiness of nations is gone by ; and the principles of 

 free and universal exchange and intercourse are found to constitute the 

 surest foundation for the happiness of nations. This is so obviously true in 

 matters of botany and gardening, that it caimot for a moment be doubted. 



If It IS desirable for us that we should assemble in our country the trees 

 and shrubs of every other similar climate, it must be equallv desirable that 

 the inhabitants of every other similar climate should possess all those species 

 for which their climate is adapted ; in short, it is desirable for the advance- 

 ment of civilisation and human refinement, that all the trees and shrubs of 

 temperate chraates should be distributed throughout all those climates. This 

 win, no doubt, be the case at some future period, when the civilisation of 

 the whole world is comparatively equalised; and, in the mean time, it maybe 

 useful to offer such hints as will contribute towards so desh-able a result. 



One of the first steps towards the equalisation of the plants of different 

 regions, of similar capacities for growing such plants, is, to determine, with 

 something like precision, what the plants of each region are. This can only 

 be done by assembling living specimens of all of them, or of such a class of 

 them as it may be desirable to equalise, in one earden, and cultivatin<r them 

 there for some tune, so as to determine the species and varieties. In old 

 countries of limited extent, such as Britain, which have been examined by 

 botanists for two or three centuries, the establishment of botanic gardens for 

 determining the number of indigenous species of plants may be considered 

 unnecessary; but this is far from being the case with such countries as North 

 America, Upper India, China, Japan, Van Diemen's Land, and a number of 

 others. It would, doubtless, contribute to the spread, all over the world, 

 of the trees and shrubs of North America, if one part of them could be seen 

 m a grand national garden at New York ,and another in a garden or arboretum 



Q 



