Evolution of Iborttculture 



have but meagre information. It is reason- 

 able to suppose that most, if not all, pur- 

 sued the same course, modified by changes 

 dependent upon their habits and surround- 

 ings. The evolution of horticulture, how- 

 ever, undoubtedly made gradual and 

 steady improvement, as is evident from 

 the reliable writings of the poets, histori- 

 ans, and statesmen among the Greeks 

 and Romans. 



Two centuries after Solomon, Homer 

 describes the gardens of the Grecians, in 

 which they cultivated fruits, herbs, vege- 

 tables, and flowers. In their mythology, 

 of which there is much that is poetical 

 and interesting, not only flowers but trees 

 and ornamental shrubs were sacred to 

 their deities. " Most of the flowers culti- 

 vated, moreover, suggested poetical or 

 mythological associations : for the reli- 

 gion of Greece combined itself with 

 nearly every object in nature, more par- 

 ticularly with the beautiful, so that the 

 Greek, as he strolled through his garden, 

 had perpetually before his fancy a succes- 

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