Trees, Shrubs, and Plants of Virgil 



held that the shingles which roofed the houses of 

 early Rome were made of this tree. 



Flower, April and May. 



Italian names : Eschio and Farnia (Quercus 

 pedunculata). 



Rovere (Q. sessiliflora). 



Cerro (Q. cerris). 



Ros, or Ros Marinus (Ge. ii. 213). 



The rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) gets its 

 name from its liking for sea coasts and spray. In 

 the inland parts of Italy it is found only in cultiva- 

 tion. Virgil speaks of it as a bee plant on thin 

 gravel soils, and implies that it will hardly grow 

 on them. There is, however, no difficulty in culti- 

 vating it, and in this country it was once in high 

 repute. It was grown for its scent and for the tonic 

 oil supplied by its tops, and accounted a cure for 

 headaches. Its long flow r ering season may make it 

 useful for the yield of honey. 



There seems to be no ancient authority for its 

 association with remembrance, but Ophelia's phrase 

 was an old one in England. 



Flower, March to October. 



Italian names, Ramerino and Rosmarino. 



no 



