gardens, ill done, are little
better than blocks in the way to intercept the sight, but not at all to
satisfy the understanding. A choice collection of living beauties, rare
plants, flowers and fruits, are indeed the wealth, glory, and delight of
a garden." He seems enamoured with tulips. He describes no less than one
hundred and ninety different sorts. He calls them "Flora's choicest
jewels, and the most glorious ornaments of the best gardens. Such is
their rarity and excellence, and so numerous are the varieties, that it
is not possible any one person in the world should be able to express,
or comprehend the half of them, every new spring discovering many new
diversities never before observed, either arising from the seeds of some
choice kinds, the altering of off-sets, or by the busy and secret
working of nature upon several self-colours, in different soils and
situations, together with the help of art."[34] Switzer says, "the
practical and plain method in which he has delivered his precepts, are
admirable." There is a second edition of the Flora, _with additions_.
What these are, I know not; unless they are the cuts of parterres, which
were omitted in the first edition. There is an edition in 1696.

JOHN WORLIDGE published his Systema Agriculturae in folio, 1668; second
edition in 1675, folio: fourth edition in 1687, folio. An octavo edition
1716, with its English title of "A compleat System of Husbandry and
Gardening, or the Gentleman's Companion in the Business and Pleasures of
a Country life." In the preface to this, and indeed throughout all his
works, we may trace his fondness for gardens. The great variety of rural
subjects treated on in this book, may be seen in its Index, or full
Analysis. In his second section "Of the profits and pleasures of
fruit-trees," he strongly enforces the planting of vineyards.

His Systema Horticulturae, or the Art of Gardening, was published in
1677, 8vo.; a third edition 1688; a fourth edition 1719.

Vinetum Britannicum, or a Treatise on Cyder, and other Wines and Drinks,
extracted from Fruits: to which is added, a Discourse on Bees; 8vo.,
_second impression, much enlarged_, 1678. He therein thus paints the
pleasures of a garden:--"The exercises of planting, grafting, pruning,
and walking in them, very much tendeth to salubrity, as also doth the
wholesome airs found in them, which have been experienced not only to
cure several distempers incident to our nature, but to tend to