ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, VI. vn. 5 -vin. i 



1 The growth of the shoots of thyme is peculiar. 

 If it has a stake, or is planted against a wall, it can 

 send them out to any length ; so also if it is let grow 

 downwards ; indeed it is most vigorous when grown 

 into a pit. 2 It is not possible to distinguish different 

 forms of the cultivated kind, as has been said, but 

 they say that of the wild kind (Attic thyme) there 

 is more than one form ; for that of the kind which 

 grows on the mountains one form is like savory and 

 very pungent, while the other is fragrant and more 

 delicate. 



3 The season for planting most of these is autumn, 

 and then men hasten to plant them as early as 

 possible ; however some are planted also in spring. 

 All of them love shade, 4 water, and especially dung ; 

 however thyme is patient of drought and, in general, 

 needs moisture less than the others. These plants 

 especially delight in the dung of beasts of burden ; 

 and it is said that they should often be transplanted, 

 for that it improves them, while bergamot-mint, as 

 has been said, actually degenerates 5 if it is not 

 transplanted. 



Of the seasons at ivhich coronary plants flower, and of the 

 length of their life. 



VIII. 6 Of the flowers the 7 first to appear is the 

 gilliflower ; where the air is mild, it appears as soon 

 as winter comes, but, where it is more severe, later, 

 sometimes in spring. Along with the gilliflower, or 

 a little later, appears the flower called the wild wall- 



4 fyiXoffKLa conj. Seal. froinG ; QiXoima. UMAld. cf. Plin. I.e. 



5 f^iffrarai conj. Seal, from G, deyenerat ; e^rao-Toi MAld. 



6 Plin. 21. 64-66; Athen. 15. 26 and 27. avflwv : ? in the 

 sense of avOiKwv, as in 6. 6. 3. 



7 rb conj. Seal.; rov Aid. 



49 



VOL. II. E 



