ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, V. vn. 7 -vm. i 



1 Alaternus is only useful for feeding sheep ; for it is 

 always leafy. Hybrid arbutus is used for making 

 stakes and for burning: holly and Judas-tree 2 for 

 walking-sticks : some also use bay for these ; for 

 of this 3 they make light sticks and sticks for old 

 men. Willow is used for shields hampers baskets 

 and the like. We might in like manner add the 

 several uses of the other woods. 



4 Distinction is also made between woods according 

 as they are serviceable for one or other of the 

 carpenter's tools : thus hammers and gimlets are best 

 made of wild olive, but box elm and manna-ash are 

 also used, while large mallets are made of Aleppo 

 pine. In like manner there is a regular practice 

 about each of the other tools. Such are the 

 differences as to the uses of various woods. 



Of the, localities in which the best timber grows. 



VIII. Each kind of timber, as was said before, 

 differs according to the place 5 where it grows ; 

 in one place nettle-tree, in another the cedar is 

 remarkably fine, for instance in Syria ; for in Syria 

 and on its mountains the cedars grow to a sur- 

 passing height and thickness : they are sometimes 

 so large that three men cannot embrace the tree. 

 And in the parks they are even larger and finer. It 

 appears that any tree, if it is left alone in its 

 natural position and not cut down, grows to a 

 remarkable height and thickness. For instance in 

 Cyprus the kings used not to cut the trees, 

 both because they took great care of them and hus- 



3 TO!>TTjs conj. H. ; TCU>TCCJ UMVAld. 



4 Plin. 16. 230. 



6 r6irovs conj. Seal, from G ; ir68as Aid. 



4 r >3 



