200 PLINY'S NATURAL HISTOBY. [Book XIX. 



CHAP. 58. THE PROPER REMEDIES FOR THESE MALADIES. HOW 



ANTS ARE BEST DESTROYED. THE BEST REMEDIES AGAINST CATER- 

 PILLARS AND FLIES. 



The same author recommends as a remedy against ants, 

 which, are by no means the slightest plague in a garden that is 

 not kept well watered, to stop up the mouths of their holes with 

 sea-slime or ashes. But the most efficient way of destroying 

 them is with the aid of the plant heliotropiurn ; 33 some per- 

 sons, too, are of opinion that water in which an unburnt brick 

 lias been soaked is injurious to them. The best protection for 

 turnips is to sow a few fitches with them, and for cabbages chick- 

 peas, these having the effect of keeping away caterpillars. If, 

 however, this precaution should have been omitted, and the 

 caterpillars have already made their appearance, the best remedy 

 is to throw upon the vegetables a decoction of wormwood, 34 or 

 else of house-leek, 35 known to some as " aizoiim," a kind of 

 herb already mentioned by us. If cabbage- seed, before it is 

 sown, is steeped in the juice of house-leek, the cabbages, it is 

 said, are sure not be attacked b} r any insect. 



It is said, too, that all caterpillars may be effectually exter- 

 minated, if the skull 37 of a beast of burden is set up upon a 

 stake in the garden, care being taken to employ that of a female 

 only. There is a story related, too, that a river crab, hung 

 up in the middle of the garden, is a preservative against the 

 attacks of caterpillars. Again, there are some persons who are 

 in the habit of touching with slips of blood-red cornel 38 such 

 plants as they wish to preserve from caterpillars. Flies, 39 too, 

 infest well- watered gardens, and more particularly so, if there 

 happen to be any shrubs there ; they may be got rid of, how- 

 ever, by burning galbanum. 40 



(11.) With reference to the deterioration to which seed is 

 subject, 41 there are some seeds which keep better than others, 



33 Tlie Heliotropiura Europseiim of botanists. See B. xxii. c. 29. 



34 This may possibly, Fee says, be efficacious against some insects. 



35 See B. xviii. c. 45. 



37 A mere puerility, of course, though it is very possible that the insects 

 may collect in it, and so be more easily taken. Garden-pots, on sticks, 

 are still employed for this purpose. 



38 See B. xvi. c. 80. 



39 " Culices," including both flies and gnats, probably. 



40 See B. xii. c. 56. 



41 An almost literal translation of Theophrastus, Hist. Plant. B. vii. c.6. 



