738 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
July 13, 1901. 
number of British birds should still breed in the 
public parks is matter for congratulation. 
The above heading formed the subject of a paper 
read by Mr. A. D. Webster, superintendent of 
Greenwich Park, before the West Kent Natural 
History, Microscopical and Photographic Society in 
January last. The paper is now printed in pamphlet 
form, and shows not only that Mr. Webster is a keen 
observer of plants, birds and beasts, but that he is a 
sympathetic admirer and staunch preserver of all 
these objects of natural history. No doubt many of 
them are on the increase through the presence of one 
so deeply interested in natural history and the influ¬ 
ence he brings to bear upon all subordinates, and to 
some extent upon the general public which visits the 
park. 
Upwards of 150 native plants have been catalogued 
as growing wild in the park or naturalised, while 
thirty-four out of seventy-six species of birds 
observed are known to breed in the park, and may 
ustly be considered as residents. The fauna and 
flora bear a more or less evident relationship to one 
another, inasmuch as several of the plants, particu¬ 
larly aquatics, have evidently been introduced 
through the agency of aquatic and other birds. 
Amongst these the Water Ranunculus, Water 
Thyme, Service Tree (Pyrus torminalis), the Thorn 
Apple (Datura Stramonium), figured in our pages 
some little time ago, the Lent Lily, Euonymus, and 
various bulbs may be mentioned, and which have 
been introduced to the park, or from one part of it 
to another. The birds mentioned in that connection 
are the lesser grebe, moorhen, kingfisher, teal, rook, 
crow, jackdaw, blackbird and missel thrush. The 
presence of various insects would also account for 
the residence or the visits of certain other birds. 
Mr. Webster is also of opinion that Blackheath 
Common was at one time covered with Heather, 
Eroom and Gorse, the host plants of the Dodder and 
Broomrape ; and seeing that the common has under¬ 
gone vast changes and so-called improvements, 
Greenwich Park has become, so to speak, the refuge 
of these plants, the stranded remains of a flora 
once common to the Blackheath district. That 
these interesting subjects have not become entirely 
exterminated is matter for congratulation; and the 
residents of that part of London should be all the 
more proud of their beautiful and interesting old 
park, and that the superintendent should sympa¬ 
thetically protect what must contribute largely to 
their enjoyment. 
RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE STUDY 
OF PLANTS. 
Sketch III. 
Theophrastus, it would appear, was, in accordance 
to the knowledge of the time, a close observer of 
nature. Whether or not it was him who first 
became acquainted with the theory of grafting, it 
is difficult to say, but it is evident that it was a pheno¬ 
menon of nature that did not evade his notice. There 
is every reason to believe that indeed the process of 
union was to him no more than a phenomenon, for 
like his attempts to arrange plants, his inferences and 
conclusions in explaining phenomena were, as would 
be expected, far from the mark. Still, who can deny 
but, defective though his efforts were, that he made 
a grani advance on his ancestors, and that much is 
in ihose efforts to incite our highest admiration for a 
man who presaged an idea that was not actually 
accomplished for at least twenty centuries later. 
Truly, Theophrastus may well be honoured with the 
title of “ Prince of ancient botanists." 
His labours are of interest only, in so far as they 
throw light upon the state of the study of the subject 
at that tihie. His works, though full of defects and 
errors, contain many valuable facts. The atmosphere 
in which this philosopher lived does not appear to 
be so favourable for the propagation of this study as 
it seems to have been in the time of his great 
master. 
At any rate, he was unfortunate in making any 
marked impression on his successors, of the import¬ 
ance of the subject. Anything which indeed was 
acquired by himself and his forerunners would seem 
to have lapsed for ever into insignificance among 
the Greeks, after this period. But the reason is not 
far to seek. The disintegrating influences which 
ultimately overwhelmed the glorious nation of the 
Hellenes was already stalking about like a dread 
goblin. 
Like many of the other arts and sciences culti¬ 
vated and perfected by the Greeks the study of 
plants after the downfall of the empire made its 
appearance among the Romans. We learn from 
several writers of Roman literature that a consider¬ 
able taste for the cultivation of plants was in 
evidence. Virgil shows us that agriculture was not 
unknown, Caesar that arboriculture was studied to 
some extent, and Tacitus that not only was agricul¬ 
ture and gardening carried on in Italia but also in 
the Roman provinces, Britain not excepted. He 
says of Britain that, with the exception of the Vine 
and Olive an 1 other vegetables requiring a hotter 
temperature, the soil of Britain readily bears all 
fruits an! grain, and is very fertile. “Solum praeter 
oleam vitemque et cetera calidioribits terris oriri sueta 
patiens fnigrum, fecundum. Agricola., cap. 12." From 
this we necessarily infer that the Vine, Olive, 
and a variety of vegetables were cultivated by the 
Romans and their dependents. It is, however, 
another thing to infer the extent, if any, to which the 
subject of plant life was made a study. Not until 
the days of Discorides and Pliny, can it be said that 
botany engaged the attention of the Romans to any 
very remarkable degree. The former wrote a 
herbal treating of plants’ medicinal virtues. The 
latter wrote a work which is perhaps only interesting 
as a source from which we get a glimpse into the 
ancient customs and plant knowledge of the Druids. 
TheMistleto receives important attention. From 
this period down to the fifteenth century, the study 
of plants, as did all other arts and sciences, lay 
under the awful cloud of ignorance and superstition 
which marked the Dark Ages. Some are of opinion 
that the study of plants, during that protracted 
period of darkness, was nurtured and kept in pro¬ 
gress by the Arabians and Asiatic Greeks. Among 
these the names of Galen, so aften quoted by succeed¬ 
ing herbals, and Avicenna, are very prominent. 
On the revival of learning about the beginning of 
the fifteenth century the study of plants was among 
the subjects which occupied attention. The works 
of Discorides and Pliny were studied with great zest 
and diligence throughout Europe. The Germans 
then as now appear to have entered with enthusiasm 
into the matter, for we find Brunfels attaining to a 
stage of proficiency hitherto unknown to botany. 
He wrote a history of plants, " Historia Plantarum." 
The labours and success of this botanical pioneer 
naturally soon roused emulation among others of 
his countrymen ; this zeal in due course spread to 
other nations. Mathiolus was the first to embrace 
the subject in Italy, Delachampe soon followed in 
France ; and in our own country, never slow to adopt 
a good thing, the names of Turner and Gerarde are 
familiar to all, as the pioneers of the subject. Both 
wrote herbals, and if they are now of little value, 
save for curiosity, they assuredly testify to the great 
labour and attention the compilers must have given 
to the study of plants.— Antiquus. 
(To be continued.) 
— I «- 
NOTICE OF BOOK. 
Cassell's Dictionary of Gardening. Edited by 
Walter P. Wright, Horticultural Superintendent 
under the Kent County Council ; author of 
“ Pictorial Practical Gardening,” editor of The 
Gardener, &c. With specially prepared coloured 
plates and other illustrations. Cassell & Co., 
Ltd.: London, Paris, New York and Melbourne. 
[All rights reserved.] Parts I. and II., price 
7d. each. 
The editor, in his preface, says that in adding to 
horticultural literature a dictionary of nearly 1,000 
pages, graced with upwards of 1,000 illustrations, 
that editor and publishers base their hopes of success 
on the increased interest in gardening, the scarcity 
of books in this simple form, the giving of value for 
money, and on the “ absolutely practical nature of 
the publication, which caters neither for the scientist 
nor the dilettante, but merely for the cultivator.” 
Two parts of it are before us, and we understand 
that the work will run to twenty parts, which will 
be bound in two volumes. A glance at the style of 
the dictionary will show that the name of each 
genus of plants is followed by a general description 
of the characteristics of the members it includes, 
then the methods of propagation, the most suitable soil 
or compost, and, lastly, by other cultural points, the 
amount of information given being dependent upon 
the number of species in general cultivation, or, in 
other words, upon their importance in garden decora¬ 
tion in its various phases. Below these details comes 
a list of the species most useful to the general culti¬ 
vator, usually followed by a more or less lengthy list 
of species of lest importance, but usually found in 
one garden or another. The prominence given to 
the " principal " species is intended to aid the culti¬ 
vator whose knowledge of plants is limited in making 
a selection of the best. The various species given 
are briefly described by means of abbreviations 
showing the height of the plant, the approximate 
period of flowering, to wit, the month, months or 
season, their relative hardiness, colour of the flowers, 
&c. The abbreviations are relatively few, and ex¬ 
plained at the end of the preface of Part I., so that 
“ he who runs may read.” An illustrated glossary 
is promised at the end of the dictionary. In case of 
difficulties as to the correct names, the Genera Plant- 
arum, Index Kewensis and the Kew Hand Lists have 
been consulted and regarded as decisive and authori¬ 
tative. 
The above information is given in a double column 
on each page, and the extent of the same may be 
gauged by the fact that the page measures n in. by 
8 in. Each part contains a very good coloured illus¬ 
tration, besides numerous reproductions from photo¬ 
graphs, all of the first order of merit. Thick, rolled 
paper, with a smooth and softly glossy (not shiny) 
surface, has enabled the printer to bring out the 
details of each photograph to the best advantage, 
thus holding the mirror up to Nature. The amount 
of detail that can be seen with the naked eye in a 
portion of the dense spike of Agave attenuata is re¬ 
markable. Photographs of the dense-habited conifer¬ 
ous trees also come out beautifully ; while the leaves 
and pbyllodia of Acacias, the lobing of the leaves of 
Maples, the small pinnules of Maidenhair Fern, the 
venation of Alocasiathibautiana, and the exact forms 
of the leaves of other plants, afford ample aid to 
their identification. The so-called leaves of Aspara¬ 
gus verticillatus are shown in wonderful jac simile, 
while the berries, not merely a half dozen, but 
practically myriads, are as clearly seen as the stars 
that stud the firmament on the brightest of nights. 
Our first school dictionary cost 6d., the next rah 
to 5s., and in those days was considered a foolishly 
extravagant price for a school book, but we soon 
found it the better investment. In gardening books, 
likewise, we find that one good book, got up in the 
best modern style, is worth a great many small ones 
of limited scope, meagre in detail and devoid of 
attraction. This work is cheap at the price. 
EXAMINATION IN HORTICULTURE, 
1901. 
(Concluded from p. 718 .) 
Scholarships. 
Sir Trevor Lawrence, Bart., president of the 
society,and master of the Worshipful Company of Gar¬ 
deners, very kindly offered a scholarship of £25 a year 
for two years, to be awarded after the examination of 
the Royal Horticultural Society in 1894, to the 
student who should pass highest, if he were willing 
to accept the conditions attaching thereto. The 
main outline of these conditions is that the holder 
must be of the male sex, and between the ages of 
eighteen and twenty-two years, and that he will 
study gardening for one year at least at the Royal 
Horticultural Society's Gardens at Chiswick, con¬ 
forming to the general rules laid down there for 
students. In the second year of the scholarship he 
may, if he likes, continue his studies at some other 
place at home or abroad which shall be approved by 
the master of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners, 
and by the council of the Royal Horticultural 
Society. 
A similar scholarship was presented by Baron 
Schroder, V.M.H., after the 1895 examination. 
The Worshipful Company of Gardeners continued 
this scholarship to the end of 1896. 
Another similar scholarship was given after the 
1897 examination by N. N. Sherwood, Esq., V.M.H., 
master of the Worshipful Company of Gardeners. 
Another was given for 1898-9 by G. W. Burrows, 
Esq., a member of the court of the same Worshipful 
Company of Gardeners. 
Another was given for 1899-1900 by the Right 
Hon. the Lord Amherst, who presents it also through 
the Gardeners’ Company. 
Another is promised for 1901 by Henry Wood, Esq., 
which will be continued in 1902 by F. G. Ivey, Esq., 
