ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, VIII. vm. 5-7 



The reason then why these plants, which attach 

 themselves to more than one kind, grow stronger 

 when attached to the plants specified, is that the 

 latter are not robust. 



Of the conditions in the seeds of pulses known as ' cookable ' 

 and 'uncookable,' and their causes. 



J The terms f cookable ' and ' uncookable ' are only 

 applied to pulses, but it is not unreasonable to 

 suppose that conditions like those indicated, if not 

 identical with them, occur also in cereals, though 

 they are not so obvious, since these plants are not 

 put to the same use. Indeed it is said that these 

 terms are not applied even to all pulses alike, but 

 chiefly to beans and lentils, either because these 

 are specially subject to these conditions, or because 

 the use to which they are put makes them more 

 conspicuous. At all events the conditions occur 

 for a variety of reasons ; for in many parts 2 there 

 are places which regularly produce seeds that are 

 ' cookable,' while others again produce seeds that 

 are ' uncookable ' ; in general however it is light 

 soils which tend to produce the former. Now it is 

 a certain condition of the climate which causes this 

 variation ; a proof of which is the fact that the same 

 piece of land, tilled in the same manner, produces 

 sometimes seeds that are ' cookable,' sometimes 

 seeds that are ' uncookable.' 3 In the district of 

 Philippi, if the beans, while being winnowed, 4 are 

 caught by the prevailing wind of the country, they 

 become ' uncookable,' having previously been ' cook- 

 able.' These facts prove that for various reasons, 

 of districts 5 which are close together, have the same 



6 O.VTWV conj. W.; Se TWV Aid. c/. a similar expression 8. 2. 10. 



197 



