16 
JOURXAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 5, 1868. 
Garden,” is the most reliable work on vegetables, their nomenclature 
and culture. Books like these are as necessary almost as tools in all good 
gardens, and employers who added the above to their gardeners’ libraries 
assuredly would get more than interest on the money expended. 
To return to our text. The late Dr. John Bindley, who at one time 
was the autocratic Secretary of the Koyal Horticultural Society, although 
a botanist pure and simple, yet felt the urgent necessity of a more 
popular nomenclature than that in use during his time. In his “Vege¬ 
table Kingdom ’’—the best historical work of its day—in the preface, 
page xvi., we read his opinions on this question as follows: “ No one who 
has had e.xperience in the progress of botany can doubt that it has been 
more impeded in this country by the repulsive appearance of the 
names which it employs that by any other cause whatever; and that, 
in fact, this circumstance has proved an invincible obstacle to its 
becoming thescrious occupation of those who are unacquainted with [what 
are called] the learned languages, or who, being acquainted with them, 
are fastidious about euphony [right sounding] and Greek or Latin 
purity.” Bindley tried to anglicise the terminations in cases like Myrio- 
spermum, which he reduced to Myrosperm, and Malanthium to Melanth, 
but he met with but slight success. But if such English names as he 
had proposed did not become universally adopted, he consoled himself 
by their rejection to the “ masterly inactivity ” of indifference, rather 
than to any intelligent and reasonable opposition. He was fully con¬ 
vinced of the importance of popular English names, and aptly points 
out that persons the most careless of the difficulties of articulation 
would prefer to speak of a “ Fringe Myrtle, rather than of a Chamse- 
laucium, and of a Grit-berry than of a Comarostaphylis. Mere transla¬ 
tion of Batin or Greek names into English is, as Bindley points out, neither 
necessary nor expedient, and he forgets not to show that Latin or Greek 
names of a pleasing sound, such as Mimosa, Arbutus, Fuchsia, Primula, 
Orchis, Iris, Narcissus, &c., have already passed into popular currency, 
and that nothing would be gained by interfering with such names as 
these ; but it will be a long time before such names as Gravenhorstia, 
Andrzejofskya, Calucechinus, Kraschenninkovia, and Pleuroschismaty- 
pus, or even Cryptophorantus roll sweetly and infallibly from the 
gardener’s tongue 1 Having had considerable experience in public 
gardens, I know how rarely what is termed the scientific names of ' 
plants satisfy the intelligent popular mind. “ What is this lovely plant ?” 
says a lady visitor. “ It is Cienkowskia Kirkli,” you answer, or it may 
be Owtrowskia magnifica, or if a Palm Phoenicophorum Seychellarum, 
and in nine cases out of ten comes the reply “ Ah I yes, but what is 
its English name?” This, then, is the real difficulty—viz., how to make 
plant names intelligible to those who know but “ little Latin and less 
of Greek.” Of course we shall be met with the old parrot cry against 
the use of English names. When the Funkias were christened “ Plan¬ 
tain Lilies ” it was objected that the plant being neither a Plantain nor 
a Lily the name was double erroneous, and quite inappropriate, but 
the name is a good distinctive one and “ came to stay ” as the Americans 
have it. One nurseryman acknowledged to me that he liked the 
popuhar name “ Plantain Lily ” because he never could get people to 
buy these plants under the name of Funkia, so repellent was the sound 
of the word to English feeling. Besides, if we say “ Siebold’s Plantain 
Lily,” that is as definite as Funkia Sieboldi. “ Bronze Leaf ” is quite 
as definite and at euphonious as is liodgersia podophylla. Very few 
people ever purchased Agathaca caslestis until Mr. Cannell, I believe it 
was, called it what really it is “ Blue Marguerite.” “ Winter Gladiolus ” 
is a better name than Schizostylis coccinea, and which of you would 
not sooner say “May Apple” rather than Rodophyllum peltatum ? 
Again, some while agreeing to the use of old and well fixed or assimi¬ 
lated English names as those of Chaucer, Turner, Parkinson, Gerard, or 
of Shakespeare, object to the coining of new names for new introduc¬ 
tions or for old plants having no fixed popular name. But we who 
like English names do not at present object to any plants being named 
in Latin or Greek, and of course we might object as reasonably in the 
one case as our opponents in the other. The apparent fact is, we must 
be “ liberal unionists,” and agree to a well-regulated system of dual 
nomenclature, Latin-English, or English-Latin, as the case may be. 
English names have, in the main, sprung up spontaneously in the 
minds of the people just like legends and fairy tales, and are often 
associated with them. They are the very poetry of botany. Latin 
names don’t look well in English poetry, they represent a sort of inva¬ 
sion some day to be absorbed or overcome and banished by the sturdy 
Saxon tongue. 
Now I wish you to clearly understand that this is a question not of 
Latin versia English names, but of Latin and English names combined. 
What is desirable is a state of constant and well-regulated co-operation, 
and not one of competition or supercession. Latin or Greek names must 
of necessity be employed by the botanist who at the present time 
wishes his names accepted by the botanists of other countries beside 
our own. So that at the outset we fully grant to the botanists the right 
and freedom to use Latin or Greek whichever they like, merely asking 
that such names as they may coin shall be as short and as preoty and 
as euphonious as possible. But while granting this mueh for cosmo¬ 
politan usage, and for the sake of expediency and precision, some of us 
say and believe that pretty and suggestive English names should also 
be applied to all plants that are named or worth naming in Latin or 
Greek. Formerly the botanist did actually supply these secondary 
and necessary English names, as a glance at the earlier volumes of the 
■“ Botanical Magazine” will show, but in recent years, just when they 
were most required, this praiseworthy old fashion has been discontinued. 
The first English botanist to mention popular names as well as scientific 
ones was, as I believe, Turner in his “ List of the Names of Herbs,” 
published in lol!). 
After all, is it not curious to find Latin names used so much in 
gardens, while common English names serve for the more important 
industry of farms ! What farmer would use Latin for horse, or cow, or 
heifer, or sheep, or for-his crops? No! simple English is good and 
precise enough for all the “ kindly fruits of the earth ” as for “ the 
cattle on a thousand hills.” We speak definitely enough of a donkey or 
of an ass, but if either of them should eat a Thistle is that Thistle for 
ever to be defined as Carduus arvensis ? I believe there are name- 
mongers who would oblige the unoffending ass to swallow the name as 
well as the Thistle if they could. We are told to “ call a spade a spade,’’ 
and some of us would like to call this Carduus simply “ Field Thistle.” 
Certainly, as things are, we are obliged to use Greek or Ijatin names, 
but, believe me, a time will come—not in our time, but still certain to 
come—when there will be only one universal language in the whole 
world, and that will be the English tongue. 
(To be continued.) 
! O 
WEEK. ^ 
KITCHEN GAEDEN. 
Tomatoes.— These are the most profitable of all early vegetables. 
In many cases they prove more remunerative than Cucumbers or Grapes, 
and all who have a heated pit or house should grow them. We are 
about to plant out our first Tomatoes. They were propagated from 
cuttings in November, and now they are sturdy well-rooted plants 
6 inches high. They will be planted in small mounds of moderately 
rich soil along the front of a low pit, and they will be trained with a 
single stem under the glass. When near the light, and in a temperature 
of G0°, there is no difficulty in getting them to grow and fruit at once, 
and such plants will bear many ripe fruits in March and April. All who 
have plants from autumn cuttings should treat them well to secure early 
fruit, and those who did not take our past advice and secure cuttings 
should sow a pinch of seed at once. It will germinate freely in a tem¬ 
perature of 65°, and the young plants will progress favourably in the 
same temperature, but they will not fruit as soon as the cuttings. Where 
only a few fruits are required for private use the plants may be fruited 
in a 10-inch pot. Do not give them too rich a soil. Keep them well in the 
light, and never allow them to make superfluous growths. There are 
many corners in glass houses where a plant may be placed that will 
soon be valuable, and whatever way they may be grown, be sure and 
grow them, as they are much too valuable to be neglected early in the 
season. 
Mushrooms. —The first of our beds were formed in cool sheds about 
the middle of October. These began to produce Mushrooms before 
November was over, and they are bearing now, but they show signs of 
failing ; and where such is the case clean all hay or any other covering 
from the surface and supply the bed six or eight times with water heated 
to 90°. This wMll soon put fresh life in the manure and spawn, and a 
second crop almost equal to the first will be the result. Next day, after 
watering, place a thick layer of hay over the surface, and change this as 
it becomes too damp. Place a good covering of dry hay over all beds 
due to produce Mushrooms ; it keeps them warm, and prevents the cold 
winds injuring the “buttons.” Make up more beds for yielding in 
February and March. 
Hotbeds. —These are indispensable for the production of the first 
crops of Horn Carrots, new Potatoes, and young Radish. We have tried 
them in all the winter months, but the greatest success attended those 
framed and planted at the end of January or the first week in February. 
Indeed we have found Carrots sown then just as early and better in 
quality than others sown in December. When sown in the latter months 
thuy have a long period to struggle into existence and gain strength, 
whereas, if sown after the new year they have the weather more and 
more in their favour weekly, and this is a gi'eat advantage. We are, 
therefore, not forming any beds yet, but merely collecting the material, 
and all should do this. Tree leaves, stable manure, and refuse of all 
kinds may be used to make up the beds. See that the frames are put in 
good order, and wash and clean the glass lights. 
Fobcincj-. —We have now quantities of Asparagus, Seakale, and 
■ Rhubarb. They are all forcing freely and yielding abundantly, but 
although one supply of each may be much valued at Christmas or the 
new year, they will be greatly appreciated all t he spring, and where 
roots are plentiful place fresh roots in heat every three weeks, or 
oftener if the demand requires it. The more the sea,son advances the 
easier will forcing become, and where there are surplus roots it is much 
better to force them early than late, when the produce decreases in 
value. Rhubarb roots especially are often too plentiful in gardens, and 
if they were forced now the produce would fetch six times the price 
obtainable in May, or when it grows naturally. 
Lime in Vegetable Quarters.— In our opinion lime is not used 
so often and freely' in vegt.table quarters as it should be, and when any 
