Theophrastus. 79 



finilions by examples. He says, that the root goes no farther 

 into the earth than the point to which the heat penetrates from 

 the surface. 



In treating of leaves, he, first of all, makes the very just re- 

 mark, that the inferior face of these organs is more absorbent 

 than the superior. He divides them, according to their size, si- 

 tuation, and form. He speaks of the organs of fructification, 

 and makes a distinction between the upper and lower flowers, 

 and points out the different sorts of seed. He proceeds to exa- 

 mine the means of reproduction in vegetables, which are perpe- 

 tuated not only by seeds, but often also by suckers, roots, and 

 shps. He next considers wild and cultivated plants ; says that 

 the latter are not the produce of a degenerescence caused by 

 the culture ; and that, therefore, it is false that barley can be 

 transformed to oats. He speaks of the effects which the sun, 

 climate, and various other circumstances have upon the fecun- 

 dity of plants ; and, on this subject, relates many curious facts. 

 Thus, he speaks of caprification, an operation, by means of which 

 the bulk and richness of the fruit of the fig-tree are increased, and 

 which consists in breeding upon it very small insects, which in- 

 troduce themselves into the hollow of the nascent fruit. He de- 

 scribes also the way in which female date-trees were made to bear 

 fruits, namely, by putting them near enough to receive the in- 

 fluence of the male dates. He does not, however, look vipon 

 this as a real fecundation. In this place, he speaks of different 

 palm-trees in warm countries ; and, among others, of a palm- 

 tree having a forked, or dichotoraous stem, which belongs to 

 upper Egypt. He tells by what means forest-trees are propa- 

 gated at a distance, namely, by the aid of winds, inundations, 

 &c. He next considers trees as they inhabit plains or moun- 

 tains, as they remain always green, or are divested of foliage ; 

 and, in this last case, he points out many sorts which lose their 

 foliage at certain periods, and mentions these periods. He 

 speaks also of the time of the sap, and of that of fructification. 

 Finally, he considers the slowness or the rapidity with which 

 plants grow. 



Theophrastus, in speaking of trees, often distinguishes them 

 as male and female ; but these terms, as used by him, do not 

 convey the idea of sexes. He describes different species : ifi 



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