248 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
March  20,  1902. 
three  years.  Go  back  as  far  as  we  can  in  the  history  of  the 
world,  so  far  as  any  authentic  annals  will  carry  us,  and  we 
shall  find,  into  whatever  period  we  look,  there  will  be  some 
mention  or  proof  of  gardens  of  some  kind  or  other.  The 
gardens  of  old  were  famed  in  one  way  or  another  for  this 
feature  or  that,  and  though  of  course  there  is  little  evidence 
to  show  us  that  there  was  any  passionate  regard  for  garden¬ 
ing,  we  know  that  in  many  instances  where  these  gardens 
became  famous,  and  have  since  been  quoted  by  writers  and 
travellers,  there  must  have  been  the  same  fostering  love  and 
care  that  we  see  so  lavishly  bestowed  in  our  own  times. 
The  great  feature  to  be  observed  in  modern  gardening 
is,  to  my  mind,  the  distinct  advance  there  has  been  towards 
general  utility.  The  tendency  there  evidently  is  to  obtain 
the  greatest  possible  amount  of  produce  from  the  smallest 
available  space.  Not  only  is  this  the  case  with  the  holder 
of  a  small  plot,  it  has  become  a  necessity  with  the  men  who 
superintend  our  largest  gardens,  and  unless  there  is  this 
well-known  and  well-understood  affection  for  the  work, 
there  is  usually  failure  in  certain  measure. 
For  the  real  love  of  gardening,  the  very  essence,  so  to 
speak,  commend  me  to  the  specialist.  The  man  who  gets 
up  early  and  goes  to  bed  late  ;  whose  daily  life  is  one  long 
act  of  worship  and  devotion  towards  the  object  of  his  adora¬ 
tion.  His  conversation  reeks  of  his  pet  subject,  whether 
that  be  Orchids  or  Chrysanthemums,  vegetables  or  fruit. 
Not  always  a  pleasant  personage  to  spend  one’s  days  with. 
It  is  possible  (no  matter  how  fond  one  may  be  of  gardening 
in  all  its  branches)  to  become  more  than  a  little  tired  of  the 
hobbyist  when  he  rides  hard  and  rides  often.  But,  for  all 
this,  these  people  command  our  respect,  for  to  them  in  their 
different  sections  we  owe  those  introductions  from  time  to 
time  of  new  and  improved  kinds  of  garden  produce  of  all 
descriptions  which  help  so  strongly  to  mark  the  advance¬ 
ment  and  increased  love  of  gardening  during  the  past  few 
years. 
Turning  from  the  specialist,  we  have^  from  the  point  of 
view  of  some  minds,  a  lower  grade  in  gardening ;  the 
general  lovers  of  most  things  relating  to  the  ancient  voca¬ 
tion.  We  are  not  to  be  despised  in  our  affections,  I  trow  ; 
every  season  brings  us  a  reward  in  the  shape  of  the  awaken¬ 
ing  and  strengthening  of  our  affection  as  the  various  objects 
come  into  being,  and  wax  and  wane  in  turn.  Each  month 
of  toil,  of  fair  weather  or  foul,  brings  recompense  great  or 
less  according  as  we  have  worked  and  perhaps  deserved. 
The  daugli  ers  oi  the  year, 
One  after  one . 
Danced  into  light,  and  died  into  the  shade, 
And  each  in  passing  touched  with  some  new  grace. 
So  might  the  poet  have  sung  of  the  ever  recurring  months 
of  a  gardener’s  life.  The  years  roll  round,  bringing  now 
light  and  now  shadow,  failure  or  success.  The  bright  occu¬ 
pants  of  our  gardens,  which  it  is  our  great  privilege  to  love 
and  cherish,  blossom  and  fade  and  pass  away,  at  least  for  a 
time,  having  each  in  turn  given  an  air  of  graciousness  to  a 
small  plot  of  earth’s  surface.  For  as  we  roam  from  one  loved 
beauty  to  another,  tPere  is  naturally  a  larger  number  of  in¬ 
terests.  In  the  time  of  Boses  we  may  grow  enthusiastic 
over  the  queen  of  flowers,  or  become  enraptured  in  early 
autumn  over  the  gaudy  Dahlia.  But  when  frost  has  done 
its  deadly  work  on  these,  we  turn  with  equal  pleasure  to  the 
Chrysanthemum  blooms,  and  gaze  admiringly  on  our  groups 
of  mop-headed  flowers. 
Soon  there  comes  the  season  of  the  fragrant  Hyacinth 
and  many  bulbous  plants.  Snowdrops,  and  “  dancing  Daffo¬ 
dils.”  And  quickly  round  to  Rose  time  again.  It  will  pos¬ 
sibly  be  urged  that  we  love  too  many  for  our  affection  to 
be  of  an  enduring  nature  ;  on  the  other  hand,  the  man  who 
takes  up  one  particular  branch  of  the  profession  may  very 
well  be  accused  of  partiality.  The  orchidist  will  perhaps 
vote  certain  classes  of  decorative  plants  rubbish  ;  or  the 
man  who  cares  little  about  Orchids  declare  them  to  be  in 
most  instances  expensive  weeds.  These  are  both  opposite 
views,  I  know,  and  seldom  encountered  in  their  extreme 
phases,  yet  they  may  be  met  with  occasionally. 
But  there  is  so  much  in  gardening  that  is  ennobling  and 
uplifting  in  such  a  variety  of  forms,  and  of  so  many  varied 
interests,  that  few  in  number  are  they  who  can  truthfully 
declare  they  care  nothing  about  our  ancient  craft.  Rather 
do  the  numbers  increase  yearly  of  those  who  must  have  a 
“  bit  ”  of  garden.  The  love  of  the  work  spreads  from  one 
adherent  to  another.  A  spirit  of  emulation  is  to  be  noticed. 
A  sees  that  B  has  this  or  that  in  his  little  plot  or  greenhouse, 
and  I’esolves  to  gq  gne.  or  perhaps  two.  better,  and  in  friendly 
rivalry  they  strive  against  each  othei',  gaining  a  still  greater' 
affection  for  their  gardens,  and  a  wider  knowledge  of  its 
many  branches.  . 
I  might  still  go  on  pointing  to  this  or  that  landmark  in 
the  field  of  progress,  of  the  great  personal  interest  taken  by 
owners  of  gardens,  and  the  help  this  must  be  to  those  who 
have  the  charge  of  them.  Of  tlie  multiplication  of  small  and . 
medium  sized  places  all  over  the  kingdom.  There  are,  and 
always  have  been,  croakers  who  say  that  certain  fruits  or 
plants  or  flow^ers  are  not  as  well  grown  now  as  formerly. 
But  as  I  have  said  previously,  the  tendency  of  present  day 
progress  is  for  the  greatest  possible  amount  of  return  for  the 
smallest  outlay,  and  in  this  direction  our  affectionate  energies- 
must  be  turned.  There  can  be  little  doubt  that  in  this  matter 
of  general  utility  modern  horticulture  compares  very  favoiu’- 
ably  indeed  as  against  “the  brave  days  of  old.”  John- 
Wright,  Hopton  Hall  Gai'dens. 
ii.^Botany  in  the  Garden. 
{Continued  from  page  188.). 
We  may  begin  to  consider  the  plant-cell.  As  with  protoplasm,., 
so  the  nucleus  is  very  important  in  the  life  of  a  cell.  One,  at 
least,  is  present  in  every  cell.  It  is  of  the  same  cheniical  composi¬ 
tion  as  protoplasm,  only  denser.  It  is  capable  of  division,  and  in 
this  way  new  cells  are  formed  ;  in  fact,  a  nucleus  originates  by  the- 
division  of  a  pre-existing  one.  Of  the  other  cell  contents  the 
chloro-plastids,  or  chlorophyll  granules,  are  the  most  important 
in  the  life  of  the  plant,  as  they  constitute  the  green  colouring 
matter,  by  which  is  decomposed  atmospheric  carbonic  acid,  and. 
starch  is  formed.  This  latter  substance  occurs  in  all  green  plants. 
The  essential  condition  for  its  formation  is  the  presence  of  light, 
chlorophyll,  and  carbonic  acid.  After  the  starch  is  formed,  it  is- 
rendered  soluble  by  being  converted  first  into  sugar  and  then  into 
glucose,  and  in  this  form  is  conveyed  to  the  growing  parts  of 
plants,  there  to  undergo  the  process  of  being  again  converted, 
lu'to  st^rcli 
Two  of  the  most  important  changes  that  occur  in  the  cell-wall 
are  its  conversion  into  wood,  as  in  perennial  stems,  and  its  con-- 
version  into  cork  or  bark.  As  the  grovth  of  a  plant  proceeds,, 
certain  cells  become  fused  by  the  absorption  of  cell-walls,  and  in 
this  way  vessels  are  formed.  Vessels  occur  in  the  wood  and’ 
bark,  and  form  the  veins  of  the  leaf.  Cells  may  be  united 
end  to  end,  as  in  hairs ;  side  by  side,  as  in  the  epidermis  of  leaves; 
or  in  all  directions,  forming  a  mass  as  in  pith.  A  group  of  similar 
cells  is  knou  n  as  a  tissue.  Tissues  are  of  various  kinds.  A 
tissue  that  still  retains  its  protoplasm,  and  is  capable  of  cell 
division,  or  growth,  is  called  cambium.  When  it  has  lost  this 
power  it  is  known  as  permanent  tissue.  Parenchymatous  tissue - 
consists  of  cells  loosely  packed,  and  generally  of  cubical  or' 
spherical  form,  with  large  intercellular  spaces,  as  in  pith,  or  the - 
pulp  of  fruits.  Prosenchyma  consists  of  long,  narrow  cells,  and 
occurs  in  bast.  Sclerenchyma  is  the  kind  of  tissue  we  find  in  the 
“  stone  ”  of  fruits.  These  difEerent  kinds  of  tissue  we  find 
variously  grouped  together  in  systems.  The  fundamental  system,, 
also  called  the  Primary  Mcristem,  is  the  tissue  from  which  all  the 
other  systems  originate.  After  these  latter  have  been  formed, 
certain  parts  remain  in  their  original  form  as  permanent  struc¬ 
tures.  These  are  the  medullary  rays,  endodermis,  mesoiihyll,  and! 
mesocarp. 
The  medullai'y  rays  are  lines  of  tissue,  radiating  from  the  pith 
or  “medulla”  to  the  “cortex”  nr  bark.  They  form  the  silky 
grain  so  much  admired  in  oak  and  .some  other  woods.  The 
endodermis  is  a  thin  layer  of  tissue  just  below  the  bark.  The 
mesopliyll  is  the  parenchyma  or  primary  tissue  in  tlie  interior  of 
leaves.  It  really  consists  of  two  kinds  of  tissue — palisade  ceffs-- 
and  spongy  pai'enchyma.  The  palisade  cells  are  immediately 
below  the  outer  skin  or  epidermis,  and  are  closely  j^acked  (hence 
their  name).  They  are  full  of  chlorophyll  granules,  and  are  thus, 
assimilating.  They  are  responsible  for  the  darker  green  of  the- 
upper  surface  of  the  leaf.  The  spongy  parenchyma  is  below  the 
palisade  cells,  and  consists  of  irregular  loose  cells.  Its  chief 
function  is  transpiration.  This  tissue  is  increa.sed  by  cultivation, 
as  in  the  leaf  of  the  Cabbage.  The  mesocarp  is  the  fleshy  part  of,; 
fruits.  First  system  to  become  modified  from  the  fundamental  is , 
the  epidermal  system.  The  epiderm  is  the  outer  layer  of  cells- on  , 
the  roots,  branches,  leaves,  Ac.,  of  plants.  The  outer  wall  of  . 
these  cells  forms  the  cuticle.  Some  cells  may  be  elongated'  to./ 
form  hairs.  The  cells  of  the  epiderm  usually  contain  nothing  b-uf 
air  or  water.  They  are  sometimes  covered  with  particles  of  wgx  ; 
on  their  outer  surface  (as  in  the  case  of  Grapes  and  Cabbagtr- 
leaves)  -which  is  known  as  “bloom.”  The  purpo.se  of  this  bloom 
is  to  throw  off  water  and  thus  prevent  decay.  The  epidermal 
cells  on  all  aerial  surfaces  are  interrupted  by  openings  or 
stomata,  communicating  with  the  spongy  ijarenchyma  beneath, 
for  the  transpiration  of  water, — Wm.  B.  R. 
