36 FLORA DOMESTICA. 



Qui Tuva ha in fiori acerba, e qui <Vor 1'ave 

 E di piropo, e gia di nettar grave." 



TASSO, canto xvi. stanza 10 and 11. 



" There is continual spring, and harvest there 

 Continual, both meeting at one time ; 

 For both the boughs do laughing blossoms bear, 

 And with fresh colours deck the wanton prime, 

 And eke at once the heavy trees they climb, 

 Which seem to labour under their fruit's load : 

 The whiles the joyous birds make their pastime 

 Amongst the shady leaves,, their sweet abode, 

 And their true loves without suspicion tell abroad." 



SPENSER'S FAERIE QUEENE. 



" Great Spring, before, 



Greened all the year : and fruits and blossoms blushed 

 In social sweetness on the self-same bough." 



THOMSON'S SPRING. 



" the leafy arbute spreads 



A snow of blossoms, and on every bough 

 Its vermeil fruitage glitters to the sun." 



ELTON. 



This tree is a native of Greece, Palestine, and many 

 other parts of Asia ; of Ireland, and of many parts of the 

 south of Europe. In Spain and Italy the country-people 

 eat the fruit, which is said to have been a common article 

 of food in the early ages. Virgil recommends the young 

 twigs for goats in winter : 



" Jubeo frondentia capris 



Arbuta sufficere." 



It was used in basket-work : 



" Arbuteae crates, et mystica vannus lacchi." 



Arbutus and oak formed the bier of the young Pallas., 

 the son of Evander : 



" Baud segnes alii crates et molle pheretrum 

 Arbuteis texunt virgis et vimine querno, 

 Extructosque toros obtentu frondis inumbrant." 



VIRGIL, JENEis, lib. xi. 



