INTRODUCTION. V 



monuments more durable and useful than those of brass 

 or marble ; and long before their time, after the sacking 

 of Carthage, the Senate reserved from the libraries of 

 that great city only twenty-eight volumes, (the writings 

 of Mago on Husbandry,) which they caused to be trans- 

 lated into the Latin language, notwithstanding Cato had 

 so lately written on the same subject. 



As soon as* they had in some measure made themselves 

 masters of Britain, the Romans began to clear the forests, 

 and encourage agriculture, which in this country had pre- 

 viously been little attended to, except upon the coast ; 

 and at that period the island possessed but few fruits, 

 which, for want of proper culture, must have been very 

 inferior in quality. 



The Romans were accustomed to convey to their na- 

 tive country the natural productions of the conquered 

 nations, and by careful cultivation to make them flourish 

 as well as those indigenous to the climate. It is pro- 

 bable that after the fall of their empire, the Crusaders, 

 who often made that part of the world a rendezvous, ob- 

 served and acquired a taste for many of those rarities; 

 and brought back to their homes, not only new fruits, but 

 those of their native soil in an improved state. Besides 

 this, the intercourse of the Christian priests with Rome 

 probably served to introduce other fruits, as the Catholic 

 religion, enjoining frequent abstinence from animal food, 

 must have increased the demand for fruits. 



The monastic buildings appear to have been almost the 

 only dwellings to which orchards and vineyards were at- 

 tached, previously to the reign of Henry the Eighth. 



But it was under that monarch and Elizabeth, that the 

 most valuable fruits were introduced into this country; 

 for at that time the desire of discovery pervading Eng- 

 land, many fruits, plants, and vegetables, hitherto un- 

 known, were brought hither from the New World. So 



