154 A HISTORY OF GARDEXIXG. IX ENGLAXD. 



Mr. Carew was going to have certain trees sent home, and 

 '' I have already an orange tree ; and if the prise be not much, 

 I pray you procure for me a lemon, a pomegranate, and a myrt 

 tree ; and help that they may be sent home to London with 

 Mr. Caroo's trees ; and beforehand send me in writing a perfect 

 declaration how they ought to be used, kept and ordered." 

 The answer to this letter is dated April 8th, 1562, from Paris : — 

 " Sir, According to your commandment I have sent unto you 

 by Mr. Caro's man, with his master's trees, a lemon tree 

 and two myrte trees, in two pots, which cost me both a 

 crown, and the lemon tree 15 crowns, wherein, Sir, if I 

 have more than perhaps you will at the first like, yet it is 

 the best cheap that we could get it, and better cheap than 

 other noble men in France have bought of the same man, 

 having paid for six trees 120 crowns. . . . Well I think this 

 good may ensue by your buying it, that if the tree prosper 

 . . . you will not think your money lost. If it do not prosper, 

 it shall take away your desire of losing any more money 

 in like sort. My Lord Ambassador and Mr. Caroo were the 

 choosers of it." He then gives directions for the "ordering" of 

 the trees, which were to stand out in some sheltered place during 

 the summer, and be lifted into the house for the cold months 

 from September until April. If the tubs were filled up with 

 earth, the plants could remain in them " this two or three year, 

 so heed be taken that the hoops fall not away and that the earth 

 shed not." The lemon " hath been twice grafted and is of four 

 years' growth, and this year he would look for some fruit." 

 How these particular trees flourished, we do not know, but one of 

 the oldest parts of Burghley House is the " Orange Court," 

 a long room with many large windows where the trees were 

 sheltered for the winter. 



' This is one of the first instances of their importation, but 

 orange and lemon trees were great rarities in this country, 

 until many years later. Lord Carew, referred to in these 

 letters, is said to have had the first trees. On Sunday, 

 August 19th, 1604, James I. gave a banquet at Whitehall 

 to the Constable of Castile. " The first thing the King did 

 was to send the Constable a melon and half a dozen of 



