ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, III. xvn. 1-2 



Of cork-oak, kolutea, koloitia, and of certain other trees 

 peculiar to particular localities. 



XVII. T Some however are more local, such as the 

 cork-oak : this occurs in Tyrrhenia 2 ; it is a tree with 

 a distinct trunk and few branches, and is fairly tall 

 and of vigorous growth. The wood is strong, the 

 bark very thick and cracked, like that of the Aleppo 

 pine, save that the cracks are larger. The leaf is 

 like that of the manna-ash, thick and somewhat 

 oblong. The tree is not evergreen but deciduous. 

 It has always 3 an acorn-like 4 fruit like that of 

 the aria 5 (holm-oak). They strip off the bark, 6 and 

 they say that it should all be removed, 7 otherwise 

 the tree deteriorates : it is renewed again in about 

 three years. 



The kolutea 8 too is a local tree, occurring in the 

 Lipari islands. It is a tree of good size, and bears 

 its fruit, which is as large as a lentil, in pods ; this 

 fattens sheep wonderfully. It grows from seed, and 

 also grows very well from sheep-droppings. The 

 time for sowing it is the setting of Arcturus ; and 

 one should first soak the seed and sow it when it is 

 already sprouting in the water. It has a leaf like 

 telis 9 (fenugreek). At first it grows for about three 

 years with a single stem, and in this period men cut 

 their walking-sticks from it ; for it seems that it 

 makes excellent ones. And, if the top is cut off 

 during this period, it dies, for it makes no side- 

 shoots. After this period it divides, and in the 

 fourth year develops into a tree. 



6 cf. 1. 5. 2 ; 4. 15. 1 ; Plin. 17. 234. 



7 a.Qatpe'iv conj. Coraes ; SiaipeiV P 2 Ald. 



8 cf. 1. 11. 2; 3. 17. 3. 



9 T^jAei conj. R. Const, from G, faeno graeco ; rl\*t UMV; 



Aid. 



265 



