136 CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



Rosemary grows abundantly, and without 

 cultivation, in Spain, Italy, Provence, and 

 Languedoc. In the latter place it grew so 

 abundantly about the 16th century, that the 

 inhabitants burnt scarcely any other fuel, and 

 the perfume of this plant is said to have been 

 smelt nearly twenty miles at sea. 



This aromatic plant, we are informed, was 

 first planted in English soil in the year 1548 ; 

 but Gerard assures us that one variety of 

 Rosemary is indigenous to our country. He 

 says, " Wilde rosemarie groweth in Lanca- 

 shire, in diuers places, especially in a fielde 

 called Little Reede, amongst hurtle berries, 

 neere vnto a small village called Maudsley." 



This shrub has ever been treated with great 

 respect, for its supposed efficacy in comfort- 

 ing the brain and strengthening the memory. 

 Coles says, " The flowers and conserves made 

 of them are singularly good to comfort the 

 heart, and to expel the contagion of the pes- 

 tilence; and that it is good to burn the 

 branches of it in infectious times/' We also 

 attach a kind of veneration to the plant from 

 the use made of it by our forefathers, who 

 thought it emblematical of fidelity in love : 

 it was therefore woven into coronets, and 

 worn at weddings ; and perhaps on the same 



