THE CLASSICAL PLANTS OF SICILY. 213 
Ag rò yog iuüuca oreo eye, roy TE xro x0. 06 doc xoi ci xomogrdy xavac- 
diuo xaT rod xaproð so ÜnAríng.——i. €. by shaking the pollen 
of the male flower upon the female. Herodotus (Clio. cap. 
193.) says that Palms were treated in the same way as in 
caprifying figs, by tying the fruit of the male on the 
. females (Baħasnpogor) in order that the insect (7) might enter 
the female fruit, and cause it to ripen. 
Hasselquist has described (p. 417,) the Arabian method 
which is nearly that of "Theophrastus; and Shaw testifies 
( Travels, p. 142,) that sprinkling the farina of the male on 
the female Palm flowers is still a common practice in Egypt. 
It is mentioned also by Pliny, lib. xiii. cap. 4, who observes, 
* est Veneris intellectus, ut coitus etiam excogitatus sit ab 
homine, ex maribus flore ac lanugine, interim veró tantum 
pulvere insperso foeminis." And again,—afllatü visüque ipso 
et pulvere etiam reliquas (foeminas) maritare. Hence Clau- 
dian elegantly says, 
Vivunt in Venerem frondes, omnisque vicissim 
Felix arbor amat, nutant ad mutua Palme 
Feedera. 
The fruit or Date, called Dédéteru in Sicilian, was named 
gomixoBá*.ayo; by Dioscorides, and by Herodotus 84Aavoc. 
The Date-Tree is most valuable to the Egyptian, in- 
deed his principal wealth consists in having plantations of 
it, “arbusto Palmarum dives.” (Zucan.) Many of the 
poorer ciass live entirely on Dates, and there is great com- 
merce in selling this fruit. Herodotus remarks, zæ? oria xai 
oov wal miM vostru, that they afford food, and wine, and 
honey. Pliny tells us (lib. xiii. cap. 21.) that Palm leaves 
. Were used for writing on, previous to the invention of paper 
(Charta) from the Papyrus. The wood is valuable for 
different purposes; baskets are made of the leaves; ropes 
and sails of the web-like threads between the boughs. One 
of the most ancient countries in the world took its name from 
this tree, and in Scripture it frequently occurs as a sacred 
emblem. Several of the antique Sicilian coins bear a repre- 
