ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, VII. v. 2-4 



water is good, for it also appears to destroy the pests 

 which devour the young plants. 1 Some however say 

 that rain-water is not good for melons nor for 

 onions. Most herbs are watered in early morning 

 or at evening, so that they may not be dried up 2 ; 

 but basil is watered even at noon, for it is said that 

 it grows more quickly if it is watered at first with 

 warm water. In general water seems to be extremely 

 beneficial, especially if it is mixed with dung 3 ; for, 

 they say, pot-herbs often are hungry, and experienced 

 gardeners can recognise when this is so. 



4 All herbs grow finer and larger if transplanted ; 

 for even the size of leeks and radishes depends on 

 transplantation. Transplanting is done especially in 

 view of collecting seed 5 : and, while most herbs 

 bear it well, as long onion leek cabbage cucumber 

 celery turnip lettuce, others bear it less well. 6 All 

 however make better growth and are larger if the 

 seed is planted 7 rather than scattered. 



Of the pests ivhich infest pot-herbs. 



8 As for pests, radish is attacked by spiders, 9 

 cabbage by caterpillars and grubs, while in lettuce, 

 leek, and many other herbs occur ' leek-cutters.' 10 

 These are destroyed by collecting green fodder, 11 or 

 when they have been caught somewhere in a mass 



5 <nrpna.Ti<T/j.ovs conj. Seal.; <nrfp/j.aTiKovs UMAld. cf. 7. 4. 3. 



6 TO Se y\t(rxp<>)S conj. Sch., adding TO 8e : y\i<TXp<n>s U; 

 y\iffXpoi M ; y\iffxpos Aid. ; y\^x K1/ conj. Seal. Sch. also 

 conjectures TO \l<rxpa see LS. s.v. 



7 vijyvvnevwv : cf. 6. 6. 9 ; 7. 4. 3. 8 Plin. 19. 177. 



9 4-uAAot : cf. Arist. H.A. 9. 39. 1. 



10 irpaffoKovpiSes : ? leaf-maggots, cf. Arist. H.A. 5. 19. 20 ; 

 Geop. 12. 9. 



11 KpdiTTis conj. R. Const.; Kpaais Aid. 



95 



