ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, VII. i. 2-3 



this is also called the ' first' period of cultivation. 

 The second period begins after the winter solstice 

 in the month Gamelion, 1 in which they scatter or 

 plant the seed of leeks celery long onion orach. 

 The third period, which is called the ' summer' 

 period, begins in the month Munychion 2 : in this are 

 sown cucumber gourd blite basil purslane savory. 

 Moreover they make several sowings of the same 

 herb at each season, as of radish basil and the 

 others. And at all the periods are sown the 

 ' secondary crops.' 



3 Not all herbs germinate within the same time, 

 but some are quicker, others slower, namely those 

 w r hich germinate with difficulty. The speediest are 

 basil blite rocket, and of those sown for winter 4 

 use, radish ; for these germinate in about three days. 

 Lettuce takes four or five, cucumber and gourd about 

 five or six, or, as some say, seven ; however, cucumber 

 is earlier and quicker than the others. Purslane 

 takes a longer time, dill four days, cress and mustard 

 five. Beet in summer takes six days, in winter 

 ten, orach takes eight, and turnip ten. Leek 5 

 and long onion do not take the same time, but the 

 former nineteen to twenty days, the latter ten to 

 twelve. Coriander germinates with difficulty ; indeed 

 fresh seed will not come up at all unless it is 

 moistened. 6 Savory 7 and marjoram take more than 

 thirty days ; but celery germinates with the greatest 

 difficulty of all ; for those who make the time com- 

 paratively short say forty days, and others fifty, and 



5 irpaffov conj. Bod.; irpdffiov P 2 Ald.H. 



6 ftpex e fi con J- Bod. cf. O.P. 4. 3. 1 ; eA^f) Aid.; ^A^j) 

 P.jBas. ; so also G. 



7 of. C.P. 4. 3. 1 ; Plin. 19. 7. 



61 



