17 



bottom of a pot filled with oarth. lie is most explicit upon 

 the Vine. From his writings, and those of succeeding Au- 

 thors, Pliny, Virgil, &c.as full directions for its culture might 

 be selected as any modern Gardener would require. 



The assiduity of the Romans in collecting new species and 

 varieties of Fruit may be gathered from the writings of the elder 

 Pliny who lived A. D. 28 — 79. There were then cultivated in 

 the vicinity of Rome, nearly all the Fruits with which we were 

 acquainted at the commencement of the present Century, the chief 

 exceptions being the Orange, and Pine Apple, the first of which 

 however they became possesed of in the 4th Century. Very few 

 of their cultivated Fruits were indigenous, but were introduced 

 at the expcnce of no little money and trouble from distant and 

 different climes. Tlie Fig and Almond were brought from Syria ; 

 the Citron from Media ; the Apricot from Epirus or Armenia ; 

 the Pomegranate from Africa ; Apples, Pears and Pliunbs from 

 Armenia, INumidia, Greece, &c. ; the Peach from Persia ; and 

 Cherries from Cerasus in Pontns by LucuUus about 73 years 

 B.C.* Strawberries, Raspberries and others mentioned before by 

 Cato, appear to have been natural products.f The G ooseberry 

 and Currant are found wild in the hills of Northern Italy. As 

 the species were increased in number, so were the varieties. Pliny 

 mentions 22 Apples, one without kernels ; 8 Cherries ; C Ches- 

 nuts ; Figs, many black and white, large and small ; Medlars 

 large and small ; Large and small Black Mulberries ; Filberts 

 and Hazel-nuts ; 30 Pears ; Plumbs " ingens turba," black, white 

 and parti-coloured ; 3 Quinces ; 3 Services ; Grapes numerous ; 

 2 Walnuts ; Almonds, bitter and sweet, J 



• Mr. Vernon found on the borders of the Black Sea, abundance of 



Wild Cherries, near Cheresium, from whence the name probably arose, 



and is identical with the Cerasus of LucuUus. Bradleys Gen. Treatise on 



Husb. V. ii. p. 130. t PHny. xv. 25. xvi. 14. Mercellin xxii. 13. 



t J Trans, of the London Ilort. Soot v. i. p. 152. 



