A History of Inventions and Discoveries, Vol 3 of 4 Classic Reprint

Excerpt from A History of Inventions and Discoveries, Vol. 3 of 4

But even supposing that I may be mistaken, for I do not pretend to have examined this subject very minutely, I think I may with great pro hability venture to assert, that the modern taste for flowers came from Persia to Constantinople, and was imported thence to Europe, for the first time, in the sixteenth century. At any rate, we find that the greater part Of the productions Of our' flower-gardens were conveyed to us by that channel. Clusius and his friends, in particular, contributed very much to excite this taste; and the new plants brought from both the Indies by the travellers who then continued still more fre quently to visit these countries, tended to ih crease it. That period also produced some skilful gardeners, who carried on a considerable trade with the roots and seeds of flowers; and these likewise assisted to render it more general. Among these were John and Vespasian Robin, gardeners to Henry IV of France,' and-emanuel Sweert, gardener to the emperor Rodolphus II,1' from whom the botanists Of that time procured many rarities, as appears from different passages of their works. As this taste for flowers prevails more at present than at any former period, a short history of some of the objects of it may not be disagreeable, perhaps, to many of my readers.

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