ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, V. i. 5-8 



tlesh of open texture. Wherefore the timber of the 

 one is heavy, of the other light, the one l being 

 resinous, the other without resin ; wherefore also it 

 is whiter. Moreover the fir has more branches, but 

 those of the silver-fir are much tougher, or rather 

 they are tougher than those of any other tree ; 2 the 

 branches of both however are of close texture, 

 horny, 3 and in colour brown and like resin-glutted 

 wood. 4 When the branches of either tree are cut, 

 ;>ap streams from them for a considerable time, but 

 especially from those of the silver-fir. Moreover the 

 wood of the silver-fir has many layers, like an onion : 5 

 there is always another beneath that which is visible, 

 and the wood is composed of such layers throughout. 

 Wherefore, when men are shaving this wood to make 

 oars, 6 they endeavour to take off the several coats one 

 by one evenly : for, if they do this, they get a strong 

 spar, while if they do the work irregularly and do 

 not strip 7 off the coats evenly, they get a weak one ; 

 for the process in this case is hacking instead of 

 stripping. The silver-fir also gives timber of the 

 greatest lengths and of the straightest growth ; 

 wherefore yard -arms 8 and masts are made from it. 

 Also the vessels 9 and fibre are more clearly 10 seen in 

 it than in any other tree. At first 11 it grows in 

 height only, until it has reached 12 the sunshine; and 

 so far there is no branch nor sidegrowth nor density 

 of habit ; but after that the tree proceeds to increase 

 in bulk 13 and density of habit, as 14 the outgrowing 

 branches and sidegrowths develop. 



12 &XP 1 ' ^<piKi]ra.i conj. Sch.; &XP 1 v ^ K^IKT/ITCU U; 

 axpis OVK a.<piKr\rai MV; &XP IS v aX^ /f7 ? Ta ' Ald.H. 



13 cf. 4. 1. 4. 



14 Lit. 'this being the effect of the outgrowth.' irdx^s- 

 our us Aid.; irax oj > SrovCOnj. W. 



423 



