35 



(It'teriorators of ihe climate of the countryia wliicli thoy abound. 

 That they did so is further proved by the testimony of Pliny, 

 who informs us that they introduced Cherries into our Island 

 B. C. 42. 



But although Britain was first visited by the Ronrans 55 

 years before the Christian Era, and although it is thus evident 

 how much they were alive to the improvement of this, in com- 

 mon with all other nations, over which they had spread their 

 conquering arms, yet it was not until the time of Agricola, 

 A. D. 78. that the devastations and turmoils attendant upon 

 a war of subjugation, had ceased so far as to enable them to 

 win the attention of the natives with success, to the arts of 

 Peace. By the strenuous endeavours of that distinguished 

 general, the natives were inspired with a lovo of the Roman 

 language and acquirements, and when the Legions were tinally 

 withdrawn from the Island, A. D. 426, the Britons were left 

 comparatively a polished, but enervated people. 



The art of cultivating the ground was a principal object of 

 improvement, and that they extended the practice of that pur- 

 suit is certain, since during their possession of the Island, large 

 quantities of Corn were annually exported from it. About 

 A. D. 278, the Roman settlers finding that some parts of the 

 Island were not unfit for Vineyards, obtained permission of the 

 Emperor Probus, to plant Vines and make Wine of tlicir pro- 

 duce, a liberty which had been refused to them by the 

 narrower-minded policy of his predecessor Domilian.* Some 

 varieties of the Apple, Pears, Figs, Mulberries, and Almonds 

 were also introduced. Before the third Century, the Apple, 

 had become pretty generally an object of cultivation, for at 

 that period large plantations of that Fruit had been made as 

 far north as the Shetland Islands.f 



* Vospi»cu5. f Sjliuus. c. xxii. 



