1 48 Fruits and Fruit- Trees. 



a beautiful glaucous " bloom," and are filled with juice 

 resembling port-wine. The height of the plant seldom 

 exceeds thirty inches, and is usually much less; the 

 branches are wiry, angular, and very tough. Not only in 

 Britain is this interesting plant produced. It occurs, in 

 similar habitats, throughout central and northern Europe 

 and Russian Asia; also, but sparingly, in southern 

 Europe, and then only upon lofty mountains, where, as 

 occasionally in Britain, it shelters itself in pine-woods. 

 Under how many more names it is known in those 

 various countries we cannot tell; the etymologist has 

 work enough before him with the appellations employed 

 at home, for over none of those applied to common fruits 

 is there still so much to be determined in the shape of 

 history. Vaccinium dates from the time of the Virgilian 

 Pastorals, though then applied, very evidently, not to a 

 fruit of any kind, least of all to the whortle-berry, to 

 which it was transferred only in the sixteenth century, 

 but to some kind of purple or other dark-hued flower. 

 "Ah, comely one," cries Corydon, "trust not too much to 

 charm of complexion ! See how the white bells of the 

 bindweed fade away; how quickly depart the purple 

 vaccinia !"* So in Claudian 



" Sanguineo splendore rosas vaccinia nigro 

 Induit, et dulci violas ferrugine pingit."f 



What particular flower was before the mind of either poet, 

 if either really intended anything definite, is indeter- 



* Eel. ii. 17, 18. Compare ii. 50 and x. 39. 

 t Raptus Proserp. xxxv. 92, 93. 



