Robert Fortune
Robert Fortune
Robert Fortune was a Scottish botanist, plant hunter and traveller, best known for introducing tea plants from China to India...
NationalityScottish
ProfessionScientist
Date of Birth16 September 1812
chinese gardeners growing plants purpose seen selecting
I have, however, often seen Chinese gardeners selecting suckers and plants for this purpose from the other plants which are growing in their garden.
assist chinese fine gardeners glass
It may be thought that the Chinese have glass houses, hot-water pipes, and all those fine things which assist gardeners and amateurs in Europe.
chinese fond plants seen state
This is one of the plants which the Chinese are fond of dwarfing, and it is, consequently, often seen in that state in their gardens.
common doors houses quantity stop straw
Nothing of the kind; they do all these things in their houses and sheds, with common charcoal fires, and a quantity of straw to stop up the crevices in the doors and windows.
against chinese cultivate favour favourite high leave plants rather situation stand
So high do these plants stand in the favour of the Chinese gardener, that he will cultivate them extensively, even against the wishes of his employer; and, in many instances, rather leave his situation than give up the growth of his favourite flower.
confining hundred proceed ways
This may be done by grafting, by confining the roots, withholding water, bending the branches, or in a hundred other ways which all proceed upon the same principle.
branches came regular six size stem
The tree was evidently aged, from the size of its stem. It was about six feet high, the branches came out from the stem in a regular and symmetrical manner, and it had all the appearance of a tree in miniature.
best formed looked nursery taken
When these suckers had formed roots in the open ground, or kind of nursery where they were planted, they were looked over and the best taken up for potting.
islands suggested worked
No doubt these rocky islands have suggested the idea worked out in gardens, and they have been well imitated.
flower people lows
One marked feature of the people, both high and low, is a love for flowers.
sap woods way
We all know that any thing which retards in any way the free circulation of the sap, also prevents to a certain extent the formation of wood and leaves.
dwarves tree chinese
The plants which stand next to dwarf trees in importance with the Chinese are certainly chrysanthemums, which they manage extremely well, perhaps better than they do any other plant.
branches flow sides
The main stem was then in most cases twisted in a zigzag form, which process checked the flow of the sap, and at the same time encouraged the production of side branches at those parts of the stem where they were most desired.
country giving tree
The dwarfed trees of the Chinese and Japanese have been noticed by every author who has written upon these countries, and all have attempted to give some description of the method by which the effect is produced.