ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, IX. i. 4-7 



from it ; 1 for, as was said, 2 this plant can be grown 

 from an exudation, like the krinonia (lily) and other 

 plants. The juice of silphium is pungent like the 

 plant itself; for what is called the ' juice ' of silphium 

 is a gum. Scammony and similar plants, as was 

 said, 3 have medicinal properties. 



In all the plants mentioned the juice either forms 

 naturally, or when incisions are made, or in both 

 ways, 4 but it is obvious that men only make incisions 

 in plants whose juice is of use and is specially sought 

 after. 5 Now there is no use in the gum which 

 exudes from the almond, wherefore men do not tap 

 it. 6 However it is plain that in plants whose gum 

 forms naturally the flow of juice is greater. The 

 incisions and the clotting of the juice do not take 

 place at the same season in all cases ; 7 but the juice 

 of the vine clots best they say if the incision is made 

 a little before budding begins, less well in the 

 autumn or at the beginning of w r inter ; (although in 

 regard to production of fruit these 8 seasons are the 

 best in the case of most 9 vines). However with 

 terebinth fir or any other tree which produces resin 

 the best time is after the period of budding ; yet 

 in general these trees are not cut every year, but 

 at longer intervals. The frankincense and myrrh 

 trees they say should be cut at the rising of the 

 Dogstar and on the hottest days, and so also the 

 e Syrian balsam ' (balsam of Mecca). 



The cutting of these is also a more delicate matter 



5 fj.a\\oi> fTTL^Tov/^fva- rov S' airb TTJS a. conj. W. supported 

 by G ; /ULO.\\OV enl yovf rb air)) TTJS a. UMAld. 



6 KOVK a(f>G\Kovcriv conj. Seal., c/. 9. 2. 1 ; KOLV a^eA/coi/cnv U; 

 K av &<t>f\Kuffi MAld. c/. Plin. 24. 105. 



7 Plin. 24. 106. 8 a /conj.W.; ical UPAld. 

 9 7 e conj. Sch.; 8e Aid. cf. O.P. 3. 13. 2. 



221 



