June  12,  1902. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTA6E  GARDENER. 
517 
Old-time  Gardening. 
{Continued  from  page  45').) 
A  list  of  new  introductions  of  varioirs  kinds  of  garden  vegeta¬ 
tion  may  have  been  expected  in  the  last  article,  but  the  plants 
enumerated  bj^  historians  are  for  the  greater  imrt  so  grossly 
incorrect  that  I  shall  pa.ss  this  matter  without  further  comment. 
The  First  Gardening  Book. 
We  have  arrived  now  at  a  stage  when  the  literature  of  garden¬ 
ing  can  be  taken  seriously  as  an  important  factor  in  determining 
the  condition  of  horticulture.  The  first  book  dealing  with  garden¬ 
ing  as  a  .subject  by  itself  appeared  in  1503,  and  as  The  Proffitable 
Arte  of  Gardening,”  several  editions  were  published  before  the 
century  terminated.  There  is,  unfortunately,  little  in  this  book 
that  can  be  satisfactorily  attributed  to  a  directly  English  source, 
the  writer,  Thomas  Hyll,  or  Hill,  having  been,  not  a  gardener, 
but  a  compiler  of  books  on  a  great  A-ariety  of  subjects.  The  first 
of  the  twO'  parts  into  Avhich  this  work  is  divided  is  derived  almost 
solely  from  classic  and  Arabian  authors,  and  Avhat  was  modern  in 
the  second  part  can  be  traced  largely  to  Charles  E.stienne,  a 
French  writer  on  rural  affairs.  At  the  same  time  the  undoubted 
popularity  of  the  book  as  evidenced  by  the  short  time  elapsing 
between  recurring  new  editions,  leads  to  the  expectation  that  it 
AA  Ould  exert  a  decided  influence  on  gardening. 
One  of  the  several  engravings  with  Avhich  it  is  embellished  (I 
refer  noiv  particulaidy  to  the  1574  edition)  depicts  a  small  garden 
oblong  in  form,  enclosed  ivith  pales,  and  divided  by  means  of  an 
inner  ornamental  wooden  fence  into  an  outer  and  inner  garden. 
Of  the  latter  a  knot  forms  the  central  portion,  and  it  is  surrounded 
by  oblong  beds,  divided  from  each  other  by  narrow  paths.  The 
.space  betAveen  the  inner  and  outer  fence  is  disposed  in  long 
narroAv  borders.  This  Avoodcut  is  further  intere.sting  as  showing 
the  termination  of  a  neiv  kind  oif  “Herber.”  Instead  of,  as 
formerly,  a  closely  enclosed  “  aiiartment,”  it  AA'ould  appear  noAV  to 
have  extended  either  Avholly  or  in  part  round  the  garden.  It 
AA  as  constz’ucted  preferably  of  juniper,  but  AvilloAv  poles  AA'ere  also 
used,  and  it  aaus  “  either  straight  running  up  or  else  vaulted  or 
close  over  the  head  like  to  the  A^yne  herbers  noAV  a  dayes  made.” 
Hoses  Avere  employed  for  furnishing  it  Avith  foliage  and  floAvers,  or 
“that  SAvete  tree  or  floure  named  Jacemine,  Rosemarie,  or  the 
Pomegranate — unless  you  had  rather  decke  your  herbers  comlie 
Avith  A-ynes.” 
In  the  second  part  less  than  seventy  kinds  of  fioAvers  and 
vegetables  are  culturally  treated,  and  about  180  plants  altogether 
are  named  in  the  book.  Lily  of  the  Valley  had  been  not  long 
preA'iously  raised  to  the  dignity  of  a  garden  floAver,  and,  inter  alia, 
there  are  interesting  chapters  on  Roses  and  GillyfloAvers.  The 
proposition  that  nothing  under  the  sun  is  ncAv  receiAms  corrobora¬ 
tion  in  the  chapter  on  Onions,  Avhere  transplanting  is  recom¬ 
mended.  Carrots  also  Avere  transplanted,  a  Amry  good  method,  by 
the  Avay,  of  forwarding  the  early  croiJ.  In  1571-7  appeared 
“The  Gardeners  Labyrinth” 
by  Didymus  Mountain,  supposed  to  be  a  fanciful  rendering  of 
plain  “  Thomas  Hill.”  At  any  rate  the  book  is  Hill’s,  Avith 
additions,  of  Avhich  the  most -important  are  several  neAV  AA:oodcuts 
depicting -gardens  of  the  period.  One  of  these  pre.sents  a  bird’s- 
eye  vie-Av  of  a  garden,  oblong  in  form,  and  enclosed  b3'  a  hedge,  of 
Avhich  the  inner  portion  arches  over,  forming  an  arbour,  extending 
quite  round  the  garden.  Like  that  in  “  The  Proffitable  Arte,”  this 
also  shoAvs  an  inner  enclosure,  Avith  fence  of  ornamental  Avood- 
Avork.  The  arrangement  and  form  of  the  beds,  hoAvever,  differ. 
In  this  a  AA'alk  3ft  to  4ft  Avide  extends  along  the  inner  .side  of 
the  fence,  and  the  ground,  by  cross  AA’alks  of  the  same  Avidth,  is 
diA'ided  into  four  parts.  In  length  these  are  as  tAvo  to  one  of  the 
breadth,  Avhich  permits  of  tAvo  square  blocks  or  quarters  in  each, 
Avhich  in  turn  are  subdivided  into  eight  beds,  Avith  1ft  alleys 
betAveen.  The  beds  in  the  quarters  at  each  end  of  the  garden  are 
simple  parallelograms,  the  four  in  the  centre  being  cut  through 
by  diagonal  alleys,  each  starting  from  its  OAvn  angle  and  terminat¬ 
ing  in  an  oval  or  square  bed  Avhich  forms  the  centre  of  each 
quarter,  and  each  one  furnished  Avith  a  little  tree  in  the  middle. 
In  all  there  Avere  nine  beds  in  each  of  the  latter  .squares,  and  that 
they  Avere  not  uncommon  may  be  assumed  because  “The  XeAV 
Orchard  ”  in  the  succeeding  century  contains  in  the  plan  of  a 
garden  ju.st  .such  another. 
Th.e  space  betAveen  the  tzvo  fences  in  this  case  is  occupied  by  a 
broad  AA’alk,  and  one  corner  by  an  apiary,  Avith  roof.  \  Avorkman 
is  busy  applying  AAater  from  a  “Hutch  engine”  to  part  of  the 
garden,  AAhile  ladies  and  gentlemen  are  looking  on.  In  another 
cut  the  garden  is  Availed,  and  posses.ses  in  cue  corner  an  oblong 
“  herber,”  covered  AA’ith  Roses,  and  fuimished  Avith  a  square  table, 
round  Avliich  are  benches,  pi^Jbably  of  turf.  This  picture  is  further 
interesting  as  .shoAving  tAvo  large  beds  surrounded  Avith  onramental 
boards  standing  perhaps  2ft  above  the  ground.  The  cuts  are  of 
the  rudest  de.scription,  buta  Pseony,  aCamation,  a  Marigold,  and 
perhaps  a  Primrose  are  fairly  di.stinct.  According  to  this  book 
Avalks  Avere  still  sanded.  Labyrinths  or  mazes  are  depicted  in  both 
the  books  referred  to,  and  for  a  long  time  they  seem  to  haA’e  been 
indispensable  adjuncts  to  up-to-date  gardens.  It  Avould  appear 
they  Avere  planted  in  much  the  same  manner  as  knots,  AA’ith  Ioaa’- 
groAving  material,  such  as  Hy.ssop,  Thyme,  LaA’ender,  Lavender 
Cotton,  and  Marjoram.  It  aa’us  proper  also  to  plant  trees  one  at 
each  corner  of  .square  mazes,  “and  in  the  middle  of  it  a  proper 
herber  decked  AA’ith  Roses,  or  else  some  fayx’e  tree  of  Rosemary  or 
fruite,  at  the  discretion  of  the  gardener.” — B. 
(To  be  continued.) 
Certificated  Plants. 
{Continued  from  p.  360.) 
Botanists  noAV  include  CEnothera  and  Godetia  under  one 
genus.  The  earliest  aAvard  made  to  a  representatiA’e  of  this 
gmius  Avas  as  far  back  as  18(50,  to  the  large  yelloAv  form  of  the 
biennial  O.  grandiflora  Lamarckiana,  Avhich  is  a  bold  and  striking 
subject  in  the  shrubbery  border,  and  Avhich  seeds  plentifully. 
It  is  to  be  found  in  seed  catalogues  under  the  name  of 
Lamarckiana.  The  annual  0.  bistorta  Veitcliiana  Avas  introduced 
from  South  Carolina  some  thirty  years  or  so  ago,  and  though  its 
yelloAv  floAvers  Avith  small  blood-coloured  spots  at  the  base  are 
freely  produced,  it  neA'er  took  a  foremost  rank  as  a  izopular 
annual.  But  several  aAvards  have  been  made  to  the  representa¬ 
tives  of  Godetia.  G.  Witneyi,  introduced  from  California  by  Mr. 
William  Thompson,  received  a  First  Class  Certificate  of  Merit 
the  same  year,  and  Avas  the  means  of  bringing  to  English  gardens 
a  race  of  large  flowered,  dAvarf  groAving,  tufted  Godetias,  which 
floAver  profusely  and  are  very  shoAvy.  This  has  rosy  i*ed  floAvers 
blotched  Avith  crimson.  The  first  ncAv  form  Avas  Lady  Albemarle, 
dark  crimson,  aAvarded  a  Certificate  of  Merit  in  1876.  In  1882, 
tAvo  more  iieAv  varieties  received  the  same  aAvard — Duchess  of 
Albany,  satiny-Avhite,  and  Satin  Rose,  a  bright  carmine  coloured 
variety.  In  1890  appeared  Duchess  of  Fife,  Avhite  blotched  Avith 
rosy  scarlet,  and  in  1891  White  Pearl,  both  similarly  honoured. 
In  1895  appeared  Marchioness  of  Salisbury,  Avhite,  Avith  rosy 
pink  centre;  and  tAvo  years  later  the  rich  blood-red  coloured 
Gloriosa,  dAvarf,  compact,  and  Amry  striking;  both  obtained 
AAvards  of  Merit.  Several  other  forms  are  catalogued,  all  of  a 
very  pleasing  character,  and  some  inclined  to  sport  more  than 
pthers.  The  latest  addition  to  the  group  is  Lord  Roberts,  a 
novelty  of  the  present  year,  described  as  of  a  rich  rosy  crimson 
scarlet. 
Olearia  and  Ophiopogon. 
This  is  a  genus  of  greenhouse  or  hardy  shrubs,  the  best  knoAvn 
of  Avhich  is  the  Noav  Zealand  O.  Haasti,  Avhich  has  proved  quite 
hardy,  and  is  remarkable  for  the  profusion  in  Avhicli  it  produces 
its  cymes  of  Avhite  blossoms.  It  has  certainly  justified  the  aAvard 
of  a  Certificate  of  Merit,  made  to  it  in  1873.  O.  (Tunniana, 
Avhich  produces  large  Avhite  floAver  heads  in  great  profusion, 
0.  macrodonta,  and  O.  stellulata  have  all  received  aAvards,  and 
all  are  hardy  evergreen  shrqbs. 
The  type  Ophiopogon  Jaburan  has  been  in  cultivation  since 
1830 ;  but  it  AA'as  not  until  1862  that  the  variety  A'ariegatus  Avas 
introduced,  like  the  type  from  Japan,  and  it  received  a  Certificate 
of  Merit,  under  the  name  of  foliis  variegatis,  Avhen  shoAvn  by 
Mr.  Beitt  in  1862.  It  has  liroved  a  very  useful  ornamental 
plant.  Its  dense  spikes  of  deep  violet-blue  floAvers  are  very 
handsome.  It  has  also  proA’ed  much  hardier  than  Avas  at  first 
anticipated.  A  deeper  yellow  variegated  form,  named  aureo- 
variegatus,  receiA-ed  a  Certificate  in  1879,  and  it  seems  to  bo 
the  form  most  commonly  grown. 
Osmanthus  and  Ourisia. 
Osman  thus  aquifolium,  a  charming  eA’ergreen  Japanese  shrub, 
resembling  the  Holly,  has  been  represented  by  three  variegated 
forms,  A’iz.,  A’ariegatus,  aureus,  and  nanus,  and  all  received 
aAvards.  O.  aquifolium  Avill  be  found  in  most  plant  catalogues 
under  the  name  of  O.  ilicifolius,  Avhich  is  a  form  Avith  smaller 
leaves.  These  Osmanthuses  recall  the  honoured  name  of  John 
Standish,  Avho  exliibited  them. 
This  Ourisia,  representing  a  genus  of  hardy  perennial  herbs, 
has  had  tAvo-  representatives  honoured  by  '  aAvards-  one,  O. 
coccinea,  the  scarlet  floAvers  Avith  cream  coloured  anthers  borne 
in  panicled  clusters,  and  introduced  from  the  Andes  of  Chili :  and 
0.  Pearcei,  crimson  floAvered.  Neither  have  come  into  cultiva¬ 
tion  to  the  degree  expected.  O.  coccinea.  requires  a  moist,  but 
Avell  drained,  sAA’eet  soil;  it  should  not  be  planted  in  the  full 
gloAV  of  the  hot  sunshine. 
Ostrowskia  and  Oxalis. 
This  is  represented  by  one  splendid  spc'cies,  named  magnifica. 
It  is  a  Amry  fine  and  striking  plant,  groAving  to  a  height  of  3ft 
to  4ft.  The  large  floAvers  are  bell-shaped,  AA’hite,  tinted 
Avith  pink.  I  have  seen  this  in  very  fine  character  in  the  county 
of  Kent.  groAving  on  raised  rookAVork,  into  the  openings  of  Avhich 
it  rooted  freely. 
Oxalis  A'aldiriensis,  Avhich  Messrs.  Veitch  and  Sons  imported 
from  Chili  in  1862,  has  not  fulfilled  the  promise  it  gaA’e  a.s  a 
charming  yelloAv-floAvered  annual,  Avhen  it  I’eceived  a  Bronze 
Medal  in  the  above  year.  It  finds  a  place  in  most  seed  lists,  but 
it  is  .only  sparingly  groAvn. — R.  Dean,  V.M.H. 
