ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, III. vm. y-ix. i 



useless, for it breaks in pieces and falls asunder ; 

 if it is not hewn with the axe it is better, where- 

 fore they so use it. l It is even wretched for 

 burning and for making charcoal ; for the charcoal 

 is entirely useless except to the smith, because it 

 springs about and emits sparks. But for use in the 

 smithy it is more serviceable than the other kinds, 

 since, as it goes out when it ceases to be blown, little 

 of it is consumed. 2 The wood of the sea-bark oak 

 is only useful for wheel-axles and the like purposes. 

 Such are the varieties of the oak 8 which men 

 make out. 



Of (he differences injira. 



IX. 4 The differences between other trees are fewer; 

 for the most part men distinguish them merely 

 according as they are ' male ' or ' female,' as has been 

 said, except in a few cases including the fir ; for in this 

 tree they distinguish the wild and the cultivated 5 

 kinds, and make two wild kinds, calling one the ' fir 

 of Ida' (Corsican pine 6 ) the other the 'fir of the 

 sea-shore ' (Aleppo pine) ; of these the former is 

 straighter and taller and has thicker leaves, 7 while 

 in the latter the leaves are slenderer and weaker, 

 and the bark is smoother and useful for tanning 

 hides, which the other is not. Moreover the cone of 

 the seaside kind is round and soon splits open, while 

 that of the Idaean kind is longer and green and 

 does not open so much, as being of wilder character. 

 The timber of the seaside kind is stronger, for one 

 must note such differences also between trees of the 



3 T. describes vpivos oyuAa, and <pf \\65pvs in 3. 16, 

 <j>e\\As in 3. 17. 1. 



4 Plin. 16. 43. 6 Stone pine. See Index. 



6 Plin. 16. 48. ' <pt\\ov W. conj.; tf\ v UMVP. 



21 I 



