ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, VII. iv. i2-v. 2 



while the onion puts out another and another growth 

 straight from the root, as do purse-tassels l and squill 

 and all such plants. For both onions and garlic 

 multiply if they are not removed but left alone. 

 They say also that garlic produces garlic heads on 

 the stalk, 2 and that the onion in like manner pro- 

 duces onions. 3 Let this suffice for an account of 

 their ways of growth. 



Of the cultivation of pot-herbs ; manure and water. 



V. * All the pot-herbs are lovers of water and of 

 dung, except rue, which does not at all like dung ; 

 this is true of the winter no less than of the summer 

 herbs, and of the tender no less than of the strong 

 ones. The dung which is most commended is that 

 which is mixed with litter, while that of beasts of 

 burden is held to be bad, because it is most apt to 

 lose its moisture. Dung which is mixed with the 

 seed is most in request, but some cast the manure 

 on while they are sowing, and they also use fresh 

 human dung as a liquid manure. 5 The winter crops 

 like moisture more than the summer ones, and the 

 weak more than the strong, as well as those which 

 specially need feeding. Onion and long onion also 

 love moisture, though some say that they do not 

 require it, if at the outset it has been applied 

 twice or thrice. 6 Fresh cold water is the best, and 

 the worst is that which is brackish and thick : 7 

 wherefore the water from irrigation ditches is not 

 good, for it brings with it seeds of weeds. Rain 



6 Lit. 'for their liquid-manuring.' cf. C.P. 3. 9. 2, where 

 Xv\caffis must have the same sense. 



8 Plin. 12. 182 and 183. 



7 5v<r/j.avri UMAld.; St/tr/xeioj H. 



93 



