STUDIES OF TREES IN WINTER 



" They led the vine 



To wed her elm ; she spoused about him twines 

 Her marriageable arms ; and with her brings 

 Her dower, the adopted clusters to adorn 

 His barren leaves." 



Columella tells us that vineyards with elm 

 trees as props were named arbusta, the vines 

 themselves being called arbustiva vita, to dis- 

 tinguish them from others raised in more con- 

 fined situations. Once in two years the elms 

 were carefully pruned to prevent their leaves 

 from overshadowing the grapes ; this was con- 

 sidered of great importance, and we have a 

 better understanding of Virgil's reproach to 

 Corydon, who neglected both his elms and 

 vines, when we realize this : 



" Semiputate tibi frondosa vitis in ulmo est." 

 (Your vine half pruned upon the leafy elm.) 



In Ovid, Vertumnus alludes to the mutual 

 dependence of the elm and the vine when he 

 assures Pomona of the advantages of a happy 

 marriage: 



" ' If that fair elm,' he cried, 'alone should stand 

 No grapes would glow with gold, and tempt the hand ; 

 Or if that vine without her elm should grow, 

 'T would creep a poor neglected shrub, below.' " 



The specific name, campestris, comes from 

 the Latin word meaning belonging to a plain 

 or field. 



