233 



HOP.— HUMULUS. 



Natural order, Scabridce. A genus of the 

 Dicecia Pentandria class. 



" Lo, on auxiliary poles, the hops 

 Ascending spiral, ranged in meet array." 



Phillips's Cider. 



The generic name of this plant is derived 

 from humus, moist earth or ground, because 

 the plant thrives best in such soil, but this 

 word is of modern origin, as is the Greek 

 word (ipuov, and fipvwvioc, Bryonia, Bryony, 

 from the form of the leaves and running of 

 the branches, which somewhat resemble this 

 latter plant. It seems to have been un- 

 known to the ancient Greeks, as it is unno- 

 ticed by their authors ; and Pliny is the first 

 of the Romans who makes mention of this 

 plant. He calls it Lupulus Salictarius, as is 

 supposed, from its climbing upon sallows and 

 other trees. This author informs us, that the 

 ancients made no use of the flowers, except- 

 ing to ornament their gardens; but that the 



