302 plint's natural history. [Book XV. 



has a remarkably short stalk, and will stand on its end, as also 

 the patrieiura, and the voconium, 14 a green oblong kind. In 

 addition to these, Virgil 15 has made mention of a pear called the 

 " volema," 16 a name which he has borrowed from Cato, 17 who 

 makes mention also of kinds known as the " sementivum" 18 

 and the " musteum." 19 



CHAP. 17. — VARIOUS METHODS OP GRAFTING TREES. EXPIATIONS 



FOR LIGHTNING. 



This branch of civilized life has long since been brought to 

 the very highest pitch of perfection, for man has left nothing 

 untried here. Hence it is that we find Virgil 20 speaking of 

 grafting the nut-tree on the arbutus, the apple on the plane, 

 and the cherry on the elm. Indeed, there is nothing further 

 in this department that can possibly be devised, and it is a 

 long time since any new variety of fruit has been discovered. 

 Keligious scruples, too, will not allow of indiscriminate graft- 

 ing ; thus, for instance, it is not permitted to graft upon the 

 thorn, for it is not easy, by any mode of expiation, to avoid 

 the disastrous effects of lightning; and we are told 21 that as 

 many as are the kinds of trees that have been engrafted on the 

 thorn, so many are the thunderbolts that will be hurled against 

 that spot in a single flash. 



The form of the pear is turbinated ; the later kinds remain 

 on the parent tree till winter, when they ripen with the frost ; 

 such, for instance, as the Greek varietj^, the ampullaceum, and 

 the laureum ; the same, too, with apples of the Amerinian 

 and the Scandian kinds. Apples and pears are prepared for 



14 The Poire sarteau, according to Dalechamps. 



15 Georgics, ii. 87. 



16 "A handful" — probably the pound or pounder pear : the Bergamotte, 

 according to Hardouin ; the Bon chretien of summer, according to Adrian 

 Junius. 



17 De Re Rust. c. 7. 18 Or " Seedling." 



19 The " early ripener." Fee suggests that this may be a variety of the 

 Bon chretien. 



20 Georgics, ii. 69. This statement of Virgil must be regarded as fabu- 

 lous ; grafting being impracticable with trees not of the same family, and 

 not always successful even then. 



21 This was probably some superstition taught by the augurs for the 

 purpose of euvcloping their profession in additional mystery and awe. 



