MYKTLE. 295 



age into the fresh earth. When newly planted they must 

 always be well watered, and placed in the shade. If the 

 branches grow in an irregular and unsightly manner, this 

 is a good time to trim them. But the sort with double 

 flowers should not be clipped, because the chief beauty 

 consists in the blossoms, and the cropped branches will not 

 produce any. 



Myrtles should be first planted in very small pots, and 

 removed into larger, as the increase of the roots may re- 

 quire ; but large pots will not only weaken, but sometimes 

 destroy them ; so that they must not be removed into 

 larger than they really want. The best seasons for re- 

 moving them are in April and in August. About the 

 middle, or, if the season be mild, the end of October, 

 Myrtles should be removed into the house, both old and 

 young ; and gradually returned to their out-door station in 

 April or May. 



In Cornwall and Devonshire, where the winters are 

 milder than in most other parts of England, Myrtles will 

 endure the open air all the year round ; and there are 

 Myrtle hedges which have grown to a considerable height, 

 and are very strong and healthy. Mr. Keppel Craven 

 describes the hedges in Naples to be as commonly com- 

 posed of Myrtles and orange trees, as ours are of thorn 

 and privet. Their fragrance, when in blossom, must sur- 

 pass even our own hawthorn. 



The Myrtle was formerly used in medicine : it was a 

 great favourite with the ancients ; and either on account of 

 its beauty, or because it thrives best in the neighbourhood 

 of the sea, it was helol sacred to Venus as the olive to 

 Minerva, the poplar toSHercules, the ivy and the vine to 

 Bacchus, the hyacinth and the bay to Apollo, &c. 



Myrtle-berries were used in cookery ; and both those 



