April '30, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
551 
Mexico and Peru, where, probably, their cultivated 
plants originally grew spontaneously. In the limits of 
a newspaper article, it is impossible to grasp even a 
tithe of cultivated plants. I shall accordingly confine 
myself to a few of the more important, in the discussion 
of which it will doubtless become evident that man 
alone wields a powerful influence on the nature and 
kind of the vegetation throughout the world. 
Common Wheat, Triticum vulgare, is hardly, if at 
all, known in a wild state at the present day, although 
it was collected by Olivier in 1807 on the banks of the 
Euphrates. Notwithstanding the wide distribution of 
the species, extending across the old world from China 
to the Canaries, it exists only as a cultivated plant—a 
protege of man ; and all the evidence botanical, his¬ 
torical and philological that has been brought to bear 
upon it fails to convince those engaged in such 
researches that its origin at home extended much 
beyond the valley of the Euphrates. It is impossible 
to tell when its cultivation was first undertaken by 
man, as that extends from unknown and pre-historic 
times. That was well established in Egypt prior to 
the Egyptian monuments and the Hebrew scriptures, 
and there is nothing to prove that the abundant and 
productive Wheat in Canaan mentioned in the Bible 
was anything more than a cultivated plant. The 
antiquity of the cultivation of Wheat may also be 
inferred from the fact that it was well known, and, 
probably, widely spread in China 2700 b. c., many hun¬ 
dreds of miles from its original home. Summer and 
winter Wheat are but varieties of Triticum vulgare, 
recent experiments conducted by M. Henri Yilmoriti 
on the various forms generally regarded as distinct 
species, have proved that they are all forms of the 
common Wheat selected and improved by man. 
Amougst these must be reckoned the Turgid and 
Egyptian Wheats, hard Wheat and Polish Wheat. 
Egyptian or Mummy Wheat of commerce is of com¬ 
paratively recent origin, and the statements regarding 
the germination of Wheat taken from Egyptian 
Sarcophagi are altogether without foundation. Not¬ 
withstanding the specific unity of all these types of 
Wheat, it is remarkable how little improvement we have 
been able to effect with our scientific appliances and 
agricultural skill. Wheat found in an ancient British 
village dating back 2,000 years ago, and prior to the 
Roman invasion, is equal to an average sample of the 
present day. 
Three species of Barley have been cultivated from 
very ancient times—namely, the two, four and six- 
rowed Barleys. It is impossible to determine which of 
these was meant by the Hebrew historian, Moses ; and 
the same statement applies to many other writers who 
were not explicit enough in their descriptions to enable 
botanists to decide what species was indicated. The 
two-rowed Barley, Hordeum distichon, enjoys a distri¬ 
bution in modern times ranging from the Red Sea to 
the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea. The other two 
species or forms are not now known in a wild state, 
and are believed to have been derived from the first- 
mentioned and simpler form. The six-rowed Barley, 
however, was that most commonly cultivated in ancient 
times, and has been discovered in the oldest Egyptian 
monuments. 
The cultivated or common Oats have not been found 
in a truly wild state, although their origin as a culti¬ 
vated plant is not reckoned to date much earlier than 
2-3,000 years ago. The Oriental Oats and Avena 
strigosa are supposed to be forms of the same original 
wild type—the common parent of all the cultivated 
Oats, and not now found growing spontaneously any¬ 
where. Avena fatua, found pretty frequently in corn¬ 
fields in Great Britain, is, by some botanists, considered 
as the parent of the cultivated Oats. Furthermore, 
Oats sow themselves, and ripen readily on rubbish- 
heaps, by waysides and in cultivated fields, in various 
widely-separated parts of the world. History and 
philology would seem to indicate that the original 
home of the cultivated Oats, or their pre-historic 
ancestor, was in eastern temperate Europe. 
Rice—Oryza sativa—is a plant of very ancient pre¬ 
historic cultivation ; and considering the millions of 
human beings to whom it supplies the means of sub¬ 
sistence, must be considered as a grass of the greatest 
importance to man. There is every reason to believe 
it grew spontaneously, prior to cultivation, in the 
southern parts of China and in India. The Chinese 
Emperor C'hin-nong instituted a ceremony, ‘2,800 b.c., 
in which Rice plays an important part, and was sown 
by the Emperor himself. This demonstrates a well- 
established cultivation of Rice more than 4,000 years 
ago. The plant, although annual, is aquatic in habit, 
which argues much in favour of China as its aboriginal 
home, owing to the presence of numerous rivers and 
canals intersecting that country. Many marshy parts 
of India offer similarly favourable conditions to an 
aquatic subject whichusually enjoys a wide distribution. 
Its cultivation was extended to the valley of the 
Euphrates more than 400 years B.C. A thousand years 
later it was transported to the hot and irrigated parts 
of Syria, and some centuries later to Egypt.— F. 
-- 
Hardening ffoTES from 
§C0TLAND. 
Roses. —It is often the practice to keep Roses as 
late as possible, and left unpruned to the end of April 
or the first week in May. The object is thus easily 
accomplished. There need be no fear of them suffering 
from such a practice, as we know large plantations 
which have been treated in this manner for many years, 
and are now excellent. The great evil we notice in 
many fine plantations of Roses is the leaving of wood 
above the buds at pruning time, thus producing a mass 
of unsightly dead snags. 
Beds of Roses which have made very strong growth 
may have a number of shoots from each plant pegged 
down right and left to cover the ground, thus giving a 
mass of flower-bearing shoots, which produce the finest 
Roses. 
Mulching is always beneficial to the growth of fine 
Roses ; but we prefer forking it into the surface for two 
reasons—viz., order and economy, which are always 
desirable in any garden. Short well-rotted cow- 
manure, forked neatly into the surface of the Rose beds 
or borders, will show its work during summer and 
autumn. Young newly-planted Roses should be cut 
well down. 
Fruit Trees are said to be (from general reports) 
somewhat late in flowering, and this is all the more 
in their favour, both as regards the developing of young 
healthy growth, and also the bearing of fruit. With 
ourselves, the prospect is as good as may be desired. 
Notwithstanding the hard cold winds which have been 
unusually severe, and the continuous frosts, the flower¬ 
ing condition of the earlier class of trees appears to be 
unimpaired. Where natural spurs are abundant, and 
placed closely to the walls, the prospect is all one could 
desire. 
Trees which ceased growing early in autumn are in 
every respect in the best condition. There is a deal in 
the early ripening and long resting of fruit trees, and 
this is secured by careful manipulation at the roots, 
keeping them in a thoroughly well-drained and firm 
soil. Cherries and Plums which were stopped in due 
time in autumn, are now a mass of flower buds. 
Morello Cherries are clothed with short natural spurs 
a few inches long and promise admirably. 
The disbudding of all trained trees will now require 
attention. With young trained trees which are not 
into bearing, we prefer picking out every bud as early 
as it can be removed, leaving those only which are to 
form the future tree. No check whatever is given by 
this method ; and the work is done more easily. 
Where fruit buds have to be protected, a different 
practice (except for trees under glass) has to be adopted; 
Nature’s covering is then desirable, and the work of 
removal of unnecessary wood has to be done carefully, 
and a little at a time. Stopping, too, must have at¬ 
tention where well-formed and equally developed trees 
are wanted. Gross shoots may have the points pinched 
out when a few inches long ; such can also be pressed 
over till they are partially broken at the base, and in a 
short time they heal over, and the wood becomes firm. 
A number of Peach shoots under glass which were 
treated thus some weeks ago, are now firm and healthy, 
and the smaller growths on these trees have been in¬ 
vigorated. 
In disbudding Apricots the outside growths may be 
removed first, but not to unduly expose the embryo 
fruit to the severity of the weather. We may expect 
frost, more or less, for some time to come. Plums may 
also be treated as the former, but it is well to let the 
fruit be set before much disbudding is done. The same 
applies to Peaches which are grown on very limited 
space in northern gardens. Where walls in this 
district were once covered with finely grown and very 
productive Peach trees, they are now clothed with 
Plums, Pears, and even Apples. Change of season has 
undoubtedly been the cause, as we know old prac¬ 
titioners whose success was once complete, now entirely 
baffled to maintain healthy trees, to say nothing of 
worthless or an absence altogether of fruit. Where 
trees are heavily burdened with fruit blossoms, they 
may be helped by thinning the buds, and allowing 
them to develop freely, thus helping to secure a set.— 
Caledonian. __ 
The Amateurs’ Garden, 
Planting Asparagus.— There is no reason why this, 
one of the most favoured and delicate of all vegetables 
next to green Peas, may not be grown by every amateur 
possessed of a garden of moderate extent, and the 
desire to cultivate such a delicacy. If the soil is 
moderately rich or good, and the exposure sunny and 
somewhat sheltered, the conditions are suitable for 
growing Asparagus. Of course, there are many 
varieties of minor importance to be dealt with in 
detail, but anyone possessed of a love for gardening, 
moderate means, and intelligence, will readily sur¬ 
mount any small difficulties in the way of ameliorating 
soil, raising, planting, transplanting, or other cultural 
matters. 
When one is desirous of making a plantation of 
Asparagus, he must either obtain young plants some¬ 
where, or obtain and sow seeds. To save waste of 
ground, the seed should be sown in lines about 10 ins. 
or 12 ins. apart in a bed, and allowed to remain there 
one or two years till they gain some strength. The 
seedlings must not be allowed to crowd one another, but 
be thinned out, kept clear of weeds, and, if necessary, 
supplied with water so as to encourage growth as much 
as possible during the growing season. A light rich 
soil is necessary, or most desirable for raising the seed¬ 
lings, failing which, it should be lightened as much as 
possible with a compost of that nature. 
During the winter preceding the formation of a 
plantation in its permanent quarters, the ground in¬ 
tended for such should undergo a thorough preparation. 
The primary requisition is to see that the ground is 
thoroughly drained naturally, failing which, ample 
drainage should be secured to carry off all superfluous 
or stagnant moisture, otherwise (although Asparagus 
is a marsh plant, or grows naturally in places liable to 
be frequently flooded) owing to the coldness of un¬ 
drained soil, growth will always be later in spring than 
is desirable. If the subsoil is very heavy, a good layer 
of rubble, brick-bats or similar material will be very 
beneficial, although the soil is seldom of such a nature 
as to necessitate this. 
The ground should be trenched to the depth of 3 ft., 
or wholly removed if that is necessary or possible under 
the circumstances ; while, if the natural soil is passable, 
do not bring the sub-soil to the surface, but keep that 
which is richest and lightest by previous cultivation 
uppermost, and further ameliorate it with light rich 
material. As much fairly well-rotted stable manure as 
can be afforded should be incorporated with the lower 
soil as trenching proceeds, while the upper should be 
improved with heavy dressings of old decomposed hot¬ 
bed manure, seaweed, if obtainable, sandy muddy soil 
previously collected from ditches, ponds, roadsides, or 
similar places where light rich material can be had. 
The beds may be 5 ft. wide, with an alley 2 ft. wide 
between them, and planted with three rows. The two 
side rows should be 1 ft. from the edge of the bed, and 
the third in the centre. A more common practice, 
however, in private gardens is to make the beds 3 ft. 
wide, with 2 ft. alley between, and plant two rows in 
the bed, each 1 ft. from the edge, and at least 1 ft. 
from plant to plant. This is best done in May, after 
the plants are fairly well started into growth, and 
should, if possible, be done when the weather is warm 
and moist. While transplanting, never allow fleshy 
roots to suffer from becoming dry. 
Bedding Plants. —This department should be all 
activity now until planting-out time arrives towards 
the end of May or the beginning of June. As a matter 
of course, seed raising and the striking of cuttings has 
been proceeding for many weeks, and in numerous 
cases the grower will be greatly puzzled to find accom¬ 
modation for the increasing bulk of bedding-out stuff. 
