ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, V. iv. 2-4 



Of differences in the keeping quality of timber. 



1 Naturally proof against decay are cypress prickly 

 cedar ebony nettle-tree box olive wild olive resinous 

 fir aria (holm-oak) oak sweet chestnut. Of these the 

 wood of the cypress seems to last longest ; at least 

 the cypress-wood at Ephesus, of which the doors 

 of the modern temple were made, lay stored up 2 

 for four generations. And this is the only wood 

 which takes a fine polish, wherefore they make of it 

 valuable articles. Of the others the least liable to 

 decay after the wood of the cypress and thyine-wood 

 is, they say, that of the mulberry, which is also 

 strong and easily worked : when it becomes old, this 

 wood turns black like that of the nettle-tree. 



3 Again whether a given wood is not liable to 

 decay may depend on the purpose to which it is put 

 and the conditions to which it is subjected : thus the 

 elm does not decay if exposed to the air, nor the oak 

 if it is buried or soaked in water ; for it appears to be 

 entirely proof against decay : wherefore they build 

 vessels of it for use on rivers and on lakes, but in sea- 

 water it rots, though other woods last all the 

 better ; which is natural, as they become seasoned with 

 the brine. 



4 The beech also seems to be proof against decay in 

 water and to be improved by being soaked. The 

 sweet chestnut under like treatment is also proof 

 against decay. They say that the wood of the fir 

 is more liable to be eaten by the teredon than that 

 of the silver-fir ; for that the latter is dry, while the 

 fir has a sweet taste, and that this is more so, the 

 more the wood is soaked with resin 5 ; they go on to 



3 Plin. 16. 218. * Plin. 16, 218 and 219, 



5 cf. 3. 9. 4. 



441 



