ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, V. vi. 1-3 



oak and other woods which contain mineral matter 

 but make good resistance. A proof of this is that they 

 never split like olive and oak, but decay first or fail 

 in some other way. Palm-wood is also strong, for it 

 bends the opposite way to other woods : they bend 

 downwards, palm-wood upwards. 1 It is said that fir 

 and silver-fir also have an upward thrust. As to the 

 sweet chestnut, which grows tall and is used for 

 roofing, it is said that when it is about to split, it 

 makes a noise, so that men are forewarned : this 

 occurred once at Antandros at the baths, and all those 

 present rushed out. Fig-wood is also strong, but only 

 when set upright. 2 



Of the woods best suited for the carpenter's various purposes. 



3 The wood of the silver-fir may be called the 

 strongest of all. But for the carpenter's purposes 

 fir best takes glue because of its open texture and 

 the straightness of its pores 4 ; for they say that 

 it never by any chance comes apart when it is glued. 

 Alaternus 5 is the easiest wood for turning, and its 

 whiteness is like that of the holly. Of the rest 

 lime is the easiest, the whole tree, as was said, 

 being easy to work because of the softness of the 

 wood. In general those woods which are tough are 

 easy to bend. The mulberry and the wild fig seem 

 to be specially so; wherefore they make of these 

 theatre-seats, 6 the hoops of garlands, and, in 

 general, things for ornament. 



7 Woods which have a fair amount of moisture in 

 them are easier to saw or split than those which 



6 cf. 5. 7. 7. 



Rendering doubtful. Jxpia has probably here some un- 

 known meaning, on which the sense of /c^oyxov depends. 

 Plin. 16. 227. 



453 



