382 pliky's natuhal history. [Book XVI. 



opportunity of more conveniently discussing in the next Book 

 but one. 84 The winter budding takes place at the rising of 

 the Eagle, the summer at that of the Dog-star, and a third bud- 

 ding 85 again at that of Arcturus. Some persons think that these 

 two buddings are common to all trees, but that they are to be 

 remarked more particularly in the fig, the vine, and the pome- 

 granate ; seeing that, when this is the case, the crop of figs, in 

 Thessaly and Macedonia more particularly, is rem arkably abun- 

 dant : but it is in Egypt more especially that illustrations of 

 this vast abundance are to be met with. All the trees in 

 general, when they have once begun to germinate, proceed 

 continuously with it; the robur, however, the fir-tree, and 

 the larch germinate intermittently, ceasing thrice, and as 

 many times 86 beginning to bud again, and hence it is that they 

 shed the scales of their bark 87 three several times ; a thing 

 that takes place with all trees during the period of germina- 

 tion, the outer coat of the tree bursting while it is budding. 



With these last trees the first budding takes place 88 at the 

 beginning of spring, and lasts about fifteen days ; and they ger- 

 minate a second time when the sun is passing through the 

 si on of Gemini : hence it is that we see the points of the first 

 buds pushed upwards by those beneath, a joint marking the 

 place where they unite. 89 The third germination of these 

 trees takes place at the summer solstice, and lasts no more 

 than seven days : at this period we may very distinctly detect 

 the articulations by which the buds are joined to one another 

 as they grow. The vine is the only tree that buds twice ; the 

 first time when it first puts forth the grape, and the second time 

 when the grape comes to maturity. In the trees which do not 

 blossom there is only the budding, and then the gradual ripen- 



84 See B. xviii. c. 57. 



85 There is no such thing as a third budding. 



83 As already stated, there are never more than two germinations. 



87 This rupture of the epidermis, caused by the formation beneath of 

 new ligneous and conical layers, takes place not solely, as Pliny and 

 Theophrastus state, at the time of germination, but slowly and conti- 

 nuously. . , 



8a On the contrary, they are irregular both in their commencement and 



their duration. 



89 This is not the case ; each bud is independent of the one that has 

 preceded it. A sucker, however, newly developed may ^ive birth to buds 

 nut at the extremity, but throughout the whole length of it. 



