42 WORCESTER COUNTY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. [1881. 



The garden of Semiramis is said to have been fourteen furlongs 

 in compass. 



Damascus was noted for its gardens which extended for more 

 than thirty miles around. A writer of the fourteenth century 

 states that the gardens about this place amounted to no less than 

 40,000. 



At Jerusalem the wealthy citizens had their gardens without 

 the city walls. None but rose gardens were allowed within the 

 city walls on account of the unhealthy effects supposed to arise 

 from the putrefaction of weeds and other offensive substances. 



Among a people like the ancient Greeks whose strongest na- 

 tional characteristic was a love of tlie beautiful ; a nation where 

 oratory, philosophy, poetry, painting and sculpture received its 

 highest development ; we naturally look for a love of the orna- 

 mental in tlieir horticulture, and for higli attainments in the way 

 of floral and landscape gardening. Yet although we know that 

 the Greeks had great fondness for flowers, the rose, the lily and 

 the violet being their especial favorites, and that wreaths of 

 flowers graced all festive occasions — yet we fail to find any evi- 

 dence that they were enthusiasts in floriculture or reached the 

 highest standard in landscape gardening. We can find but mea- 

 gre hints of these acquirements in this direction from tlieir early 

 literature. The only extended allusion to horticultural pursuits 

 which we find in Homer is his beautiful description of the Garden 

 of Alcinous : — 



" Close to the gates a spacious garden lies, 

 From storms defended and inclement skies; 

 Four acres was the allotted space of ground 

 Fenced with a green enclosure all around. 

 Tall thriving trees confess'd the fruitful mould 

 The red'ning apple ripens here to gold. 

 Here the blue fig with luscious juice o'erflows, 

 With deeper red the pomegranate glows ; 

 The branch here bends beneath the weighty pear, 

 And verdant olives flourish round the year. 

 The balmy spirit of the western gale 

 Eternal breathes on fruits untaught to fail; 

 Each dropping pear a following pear supplies, 

 On apples apples, figs on tigs arise. 

 The same mild season gives the blooms to blow. 

 The buds to harden and the fruits to grow — 

 Here order'd vines in equal ranks appear 

 With all th' united labors of the year; 

 Some to unload the fertile branches run, 

 Some dry the black'ning clusters in the sun ; 

 Others to tread the liquid harvest join, 

 The groaning presses foam with floods of wine. 

 Here are the vines in early flower descried, 

 Here grapes discolored on the sunny side. 

 And there in Autumn's richest pui-ple dy'd. 

 Beds of all various herbs forever green. 

 In beauteous order terminate the scene." 



