Trees, Shrubs, and Plants of Virgil 



{Ge. ii. 466). From poets of a more festive spirit 

 and stronger constitutions we learn that roses were 

 worn on the head at dinner and scattered about the 

 floor, or dropped, as in Nero's golden house, from 

 a reversible ceiling. The luxurious would lie on the 

 petals, and the Sybarite complain when these were 

 laid edgeways. If a Roman died in the flowering 

 season they were strewn upon his tomb. 



Columella's recipe for forcing roses may tempt 

 some adventurous .spirit. At a little distance from 

 the stem you make a circular, shallow trench as soon 

 as the flower-buds show, and occasionally fill it with 

 warm water. It may be presumed that the tempera- 

 ture must be less than that which proved fatal to the 

 plantings of Triptolemus Yellowlees. 



Flower, May. 

 Italian name, Rosa. 



RUBUS. 



' rubus asper ' {Ec. iii. 89). 



' rubos horrentes' {Ge. iii. 315). 



'nunc facilis rubea texatur fiscina virga' {Ge. i. 266). 



In the brambles or blackberries we have a con- 

 fusing genus, and of the species Rubus fruticosus 

 Baker recognized more than thirty varieties in this 

 country. Arcangeli contents himself with seven 

 types and a few varieties, and probably Virgil, like 

 many Englishmen, called them all simply black- 

 berries. As with us, the commonest kind seems to 

 be R. discolor, which has large pink flowers, white 

 under-surface to its leaves, and a juicy fruit. 



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