388 ploy's .natural history. [Book XVI. 



early fig, known to the Athenians hy the name of " prodro- 

 mos." 26 In the Laconian varieties of this fruit more parti- 

 cularly, we find trees that bear two crops 27 in the year. 



CHAP. 50. (27.) TREES THAT BEAR TWO CROPS IN" A YEAR. TREES 



THAT BEAR THREE CROPS. 



In the island of Cea there are wild figs that bear three times 

 in one year. By the first crop the one that succeeds is sum- 

 moned forth, and by that the third. It is by the agency of 

 this last crop that caprification 28 is performed. In the wild 

 fig, too, the fruit grows on the opposite side of the leaves. 

 There are some pears and apples, too, that bear two crops in 

 the year, while there are some early varieties also. The wild 

 apple bears twice 29 in the year, its second crop coming on after 

 the rising of Arcturus, 30 in sunny localities more particularly. 

 There are vines, too, that will even bear three times in the 

 year, a circumstance that has procured for them the name of 

 " frantic" 31 vines. On these we see grapes just ripening, others 

 beginning to swell, and others, again, in blossom, all at the 

 same moment. 



M. Varro 32 informs us, that there was formerly at Smyrna, 

 near 33 the Temple of the Mother of the Gods, a vine that bore 

 two crops in the year, as also an apple-tree of a similar nature 

 in the territory of Consentia. This, however, is constantly to 

 be witnessed in the territory of Tacapa, 34 in Africa, of which 

 we shall have to speak more fully on another occasion, 35 so 

 remarkable is the fertility of the soil. The cypress also bears 

 three times in the year, for its berries are gathered in the 



26 Or " forerunner." The Spaniards call a similar fig "brevas," the 

 " ready ripener." 



27 See B. xv. c. 19. 28 See B. xv. c. 21. 



29 This does not happen in the northern climates ; though sometimes it 

 is the case that a fruit-tree blossoms again towards the end of summer, and 

 if the autumn is fine and prolonged, these late fruits will ripen. Such a 

 phenomenon, however, is of very rare occurrence. 



30 See B. xviii. c. 74. 



31 " Insanse." There are some varieties of the vine which blossom more 

 than once, and bear green grapes and fully ripe ones at the same moment. 



33 De Re Rust. c. 7. 



33 The suggested reading, " apud matrem magnam," seems preferable 

 to "apud mare," and receives support from what is said relative to Smyrna 

 in B. xiv. c. 6. s4 See B. v. c. 3. 



35 B. xviii. c. 51. 



