Chap. 30.] TRANSPLANTING OPERATIONS. 489 



the varieties, however, of the pear, he says, should not be 

 planted at the same time, as they do not all blossom together. 

 Those with oblong or round fruit should be planted between 

 the setting of the Yergiliae and the winter solstice, and the 

 other kinds in the middle of the winter, after the setting of the 

 constellation of the Arrow, 48 on a site that looks towards the 

 east or north. The laurel should be planted between the 

 setting of the Eagle and that of the Arrow ; for we find that 

 the proper time for planting is equally connected with the aspect 

 of the heavenly bodies. For the most part it has been recom- 

 mended that this should be done in spring and autumn ; but 

 there is another appropriate period also, though known to but 

 few, about the rising of the Dog-star, namely ; it is not, how- 

 ever, equally advantageous in all localities. Still, I ought not 

 to omit making mention of it, as I am not setting forth the 

 peculiar advantages of any one country in particular, but am 

 enquiring into the operations of Nature taken as a whole. 



In the region of Cyrenaica, the planting is generally done 

 while the Etesian 49 winds prevail, and the same is the case in 

 Greece, and with the olive more particularly in Laconia. At 

 this period, also, the vine is planted in the island of Cos ; and 

 in the rest of Greece they do not neglect to inoculate and graft, 

 though they do not 50 plant, their trees just then. The natural 

 qualities, too, of the respective localities, exercise a very consi- 

 derable influence in this respect ; for in Egypt they plant in 

 any month, as also in all other countries where summer rains 

 do not prevail, India and Ethiopia, for instance. When trees 

 are not planted in the spring they must be planted in autumn, 

 as a matter of course. 



There are three stated periods, then, for germination; 51 spring, 

 the rising of the Dog-star, and that of Arcturus. And, indeed, 

 it is not the animated beings only that are ardent for the pro- 

 pagation of their species, for this desire is manifested in even 

 a greater degree by the earth and all its vegetable productions ; 

 to employ this tendency at the proper moment is the most 



48 B. xviii. c. 74. 



49 B. ii. c. 47, and B. xviii. c. 68. 



50 There is a contradiction here ; a few lines above, he says that they 

 do plant their trees in Greece at this period. He may possibly mean "sow." 



51 See B. xvi. c. 41. The rules here laid down by Pliny are, as Fee 

 remarks, much too rigorous, and must be modified according to extraneous 

 circumstances. 



