298 plikt's nattjeal histoet. [Book XV. 



varieties by name, seeing that they have conferred everlasting 

 remembrance on those who were the first to introduce them, 

 as having rendered some service to their fellow-men ? Unless 

 I am very much mistaken, an enumeration of them will tend 

 to throw some light upon the ingenuity that is displayed in the 

 art of grafting, and it will be the more easily understood that 

 there is nothing so trifling in itself from which a certain 

 amount of celebrity cannot be ensured. Hence it is that we 

 have fruits which derive their names from Matius, 68 Cestius, 

 Mallius, and Scandius. 69 Appius, too, a member of the 

 Claudian family, grafted the quince on the Scandian fruit, in 

 consequence of which the produce is known as the Appian. 

 This fruit has the smell of the quince, and is of the same size 

 as the Scandian apple, and of a ruddy colour^ Let no one, 

 however, imagine that this name was merely given in a sp'irit 

 of flattery to an illustrious family, for there is an apple known 

 as the Sceptian, 70 which owes its name to the son of a freed- 

 man, who was the first to introduce it : it is remarkable for 

 the roundness of its shape. To those already mentioned, 

 Cato 71 adds the Quirinian and the Scantian varieties, which 

 last, he says, keep remarkably well in large vessels. 72 The 

 latest kind of all, however, that has been introduced is the 

 small apple known as the Petisian, 73 remarkable for its delight- 

 ful flavour : the Amerinian 74 apple, too, and the little Greek 75 

 have conferred renown on their respective countries. 



The remaining varieties have received their name from 

 various circumstances — the apples known as the "gemella" 76 

 are always found hanging in pairs upon one stalk, like twins, 



68 See B. xii. c. 6. The Matian and the Cestian apple are thought by 

 Dalecbamps to have been the French " court-pendu," or " short stalk." 



69 The Scandian is thought to have been a winter pear. 



70 Adrian Junius takes this to be the " kers-appel " of the Flemish. 

 « De Re Rust. cc. 7 and 143. '" 2 Dolia. 



73 Hardouin says that this is the " Pomme d'api " of the French ; it is 

 the " Court-pendu" with Adrian Junius. 



74 The " Pomme de Saint Thomas," according to Adrian Junius : Dale- 

 champs identifies it with the pomme de Granoi. See B. iii. c. 19, and cc. 17 

 and 18 of the present Book. 



75 " Grsecula." So called, perhaps, from Tarentum, situated in Magna 

 Graecia. 



76 Twins. This variety is unknown. 



