534 LITERATURE OF GARDENING. 



The literature of the East abounds in allusions to 

 gardens. The Persians were greatly indebted to Cyrus 

 the younger for the enjoyments they derived from them. 

 Xenophon (about 400 B.C.) tells us (Memorabilia, lib. v.) 

 that wherever Cyrus resided or whatever place he visited 

 he caused the gardens, called Paradises, to be stocked 

 with everything beautiful or useful that the soil pro- 

 duced. 



There is, however, not much to be said of the " Litera- 

 ture of Gardening" among the nations of high antiquity. 

 Jews, Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians, and Carthagenians 

 were no doubt practical gardeners and had gardens, but if 

 they wrote much on the subject, which is hardly probable, 

 very little has come down to us. Hesiod's "Works and 

 Days" is agricultural rather than horticultural, although 

 according to Pliny, Ovid, and Manilius he had originally 

 treated of the grafting of vines and olives and of various 

 trees and plants. He speaks of 



" The good which Asphodel and Mallow yields, 

 The feast of herbs, the dainties of the field." 



He also enumerates the oak, the vine, and the fig. 



The gardens of Alcinous and those of Laertes, both of 

 which are described by Homer in the Odyssey, are said to 

 have contained fruits, vegetables, and flowers. The garden 

 of Alcinous is thus described : 



" Close to the gates a spacious garden lies, 

 From storms defended and inclement skies ; 

 Four acres was the allotted space of ground, 

 Fenced with a green enclosure all around. 

 Tall thriving trees confessed the fruitful mould, 

 The reddening apple ripens here to gold ; 

 Here the blue fig with luscious juice o'erflows, 

 With deeper red the full pomegranate glows, 

 The branch here bends beneath the weighty pear, 

 And verdant olives flourish round the year." 

 *.#"_'#".*'*# 



" Beds of all various herbs for ever green 

 In beauteous order terminate the scene." 



