THE ROMANCE OF OUR TREES 



wecan say nothing of that remote and most interesting 

 period. In the mythology, folk-lore, and sacred writ- 

 ings of all races of which we have knowledge frequent 

 mention of trees is made. I nvading armies devastated 

 countries and carried off useful plants, including fruit 

 trees and the like, as spoils of war. Alexander the 

 Great is but a name in history in spite of his great 

 conquests, and of his work the only beneficial result 

 to mankind remaining is the Orange-tree which his 

 soldiers are said to have carried back from India to 

 the shores of the Mediterranean. 



Of the mighty migrations across Asia we know very 

 little though it is certain that for centuries the great 

 highways of commerce of the Old World were across 

 central Asia. That the peach, orange, and certain 

 of its relatives, were carried from China to Persia 

 and that neighbourhood is certain, and that the wal- 

 nut and grapevine were brought back is equally true. 

 From the rich and famed China of old, plants useful 

 and ornamental were also carried to Korea and Japan ; 

 even as the apple, the pear, the cherry, wheat, 

 and barley were carried here from Europe and later 

 the peach, apricot, almond, date, vine, and the like. 

 From this country the potato, tobacco, and maize 

 were taken to Europe and to China. In later times 

 ornamental trees, shrubs, and herbs have been car- 

 ried far from their original homes. 



