Chap. 57.] THE MALADIES OF GARDEN PLANTS. 199 



two parts of it that are used for this purpose, the upper stalks 

 and the umbels of the plant. This kind of fennel is some- 

 times known by the name of " coryrnbia," and the parts pre- 

 served are called "coryrabi." 



CHAP. 57. (10.) THE MALADIES OF GARDEN PLANTS. 



The garden plants, too, like the rest of the vegetable pro- 

 ductions, are subject to certain maladies. Thus, for 26 instance, 

 ocimum, when old, degenerates into wild thyme, and sisym- 

 brium 27 into mint, while the seed of an old cabbage produces 

 rape, and vice versa. Cummin, too, if not kept well hoed, is 

 killed by haemodorum, 28 a plant with a single stalk, a root si- 

 milar to a bulb in appearance, and never found except in a 

 thin, meagre soil. [Besides this, cummin is liable to a peculiar 

 disease of its own, the scab : 29 ocimum, too, turns pale at the 

 rising of the Dog-star. All plants, indeed, will turn of a 

 yellow complexion on the approach of a woman who has the 

 menstrual discharge 30 upon her. 



There are various kinds of insects, 31 too, that breed upon the 

 garden plants fleas, for instance, upon turnips, and cater- 

 pillars and maggots upon radishes, as well as lettuces and cab- 

 bages ; besides which, the last two are exposed to the attacks 

 of slugs and snails. The leek, too, is infested with peculiar 

 insects of its own ; which may very easily be taken, however, 

 by laying dung upon the plants, the insects being in the habit 

 of burrowing in it. Sabinus Tiro says, in his book entitled 

 " Cepurica," 32 which he dedicated to Maecenas, that it is not 

 advisable to touch rue, cunila, mint, or ocimum with any im- 

 plement of iron. 



26 These absurd notions are borrowed from Theophrastus, De Causis, c. 8. 



27 See B. xx. c. 91. 



28 Or, according to some readings, " limodorum," a parasitical plant, 

 probably the Latlmea phelypea of Sprengel. Fee suggests that this plant 

 may be the Polygonum convolvulus of Linnaeus, or else one of the CuscuUe, 

 or a variety of Orobanche. 



29 " Scabies." A fungous excrescence, Fee thinks, now known as u puc- 

 cinia," or " uredo." 



30 See B. xvii. c. 47. Fee says that he has met with persons, in their 

 sound senses, who obstinately defend the notion here mentioned by Pliny. 



31 See Theophrastus, Hist. Plant. B. vii. c. 5. Many of these insects, how- 

 ever, do not breed upon the plants, but are only attracted to them. 



32 "Book on Gardening." 





