Fruit and flower forcing

720. The practice of forcing fruits and flowers, which became general about the middle of that century, led gardeners to reflect on the science of their art, by bringing more effectually into notice the specific influence of light, heat, air, water, and other agents of vegetation. The elementary botanical works published about the same time, by diffusing the doctrines of Linnï¾µus, co-operated; as did the various horticultural writers of this century, especially Miller, Bradley, and Hill, and subsequently Anderson, Knight, and many others.