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Another Avellana afterwards came into notice in the northof England. Other fruits as the Pear , Damson, &c. beingknown by names evidently derived from the Roman appella-tions, we, on the other hand, are induced to consider as beingintroduced to the Britons from Italy . The same observationmay apply to the Rose, Violet and other inhabitants of theflower garden, of which there is little doubt the Britons wereignorant before their introduction by the Romans. TheKitchen Garden is similarly indebted for most, though not all,of its inhabitants. The Cabbage or Kale tribe is an exampleof the exceptions.
Of the Roman Pleasure Grounds, during the decline of theEmpire we have the most ample accounts. Highly polished aswere the citizens of the then Mistress of the World, it was inthis department of Horticulture their luxury and taste wasdisplayed, and the most poetical subject here proffered itself tothe pen of the Historian and man of Letters. To the Briton,just emerging from his barbarism, that which was most usefulseemed most worthy of attention, hence the Fruit Gardenbecame bis first particular care, and it is of this, in the earliestperiods of which records exists, that we have the most parti-cular, though at the same time scanty notice.
Tacitus informs us that all Fruit Trees succeeded in Britain ,but the Olive and Vine, and such others as require a warmerclimate, for although Vegetables were quick in shooting up,yet the moisture of the Atmosphere rendered them slow inarriving at maturity.* It is evident from this cursory remarkthat the Romans began immediately their endeavours to improvethe place of their settlement even before they had penetrated'into the southern and more mild districts of the Island ; orbefore its climate could be ameliorated by the removal of exu-berant forests, and accompanying marshes, the never failing
* Vit4 Agric. c, xiv.