Chap. 15.] MODE OF PROPAGATING THE ELM. 467 



propagated from seed sown in the month of April. As to the 

 tuber, 64 it is the best plan to graft it upon the wild plum, the 

 quince, and the calabrix, 55 this last being the name that is 

 given to a wild thorn. Every kind of thorn, too, will receive 

 grafts remarkably well from the myxa plum, 56 as well as 

 from the sorb. 



(11.) As to recommending transferring the young plants from 

 the seed-plot to another spot before finally planting them out, 

 I look upon it as advice that would only lead to so much unne- 

 cessary trouble, although it is most confidently urged that by 

 this process the leaves are sure to be considerably larger than 

 they otherwise would. 



CHAP. 15. THE MODE OF PROPAGATING THE ELM. 



The elm seed is collected about the calends of March, 57 

 before the tree is covered with leaves, but is just begkmirig to 

 have a yellow tint. It is then left to dry two days in the 

 shade, after which it is thickly sown in a broken soil, earth 

 that has been riddled through a fine sieve being thrown upon 

 it, to the same thickness as in the case of the cypress. 56 If 

 there should happen to be no rain, it is necessary to water the 

 seed. From the nursery the young plants are carried at the 

 end of a year to the elm-plots, where they are planted at inter- 

 vals of a foot each way. It is better to plant elms in autumn 

 that are to support the vine, as they are destitute 59 of seed 

 and are only propagated from plants. In the vicinity of the 

 City, the young elms are transplanted into the vinej T ard at 

 five years old, or, according to the plan adopted by some, when 

 they are twenty feet in height. A furrow is first drawn for 



w See B. xv. c. 14. Probably a variety of the jujube ; but if so, it 

 could hardly be grafted on trees of so different a nature as those here men- 

 tioned-. 



55 This tree has not been identified. Dalechamps thinks that it is a species 

 of gooseberry, probably the same as the Bibes grossularia of Linnaius. It 

 has been also suggested that it may be the Spina cervina of the Italians, 

 the Bhamnus catbarticus of Liiinams. the purgative buckthorn. 



56 Fee doubts if the plum can be grafted on the thorn. 



57 First of March. 



58 The thickness of the thumb. See the last Chapter. 



59 He alludes to the Atinian elm, of which he has already said the same 

 in B. xvi. c. 29. 



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