ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, I. vii. 1-3 



ii' it is light open and porous, contributes greatly ^ to 

 deep rooting, and still more to the formation of long 

 roots ; for in such soils growth goes further and is 

 more Wgorous. This is evident in cultivated plants.^ 

 For, provided that they have water, they run on, one 

 may say, wherever it may be,^ whenever ^ the ground 

 is unoccupied and there is no obstacle. * For instance 

 the plane-tree by the watercourse in the Lyceum 

 when it was still young sent out its roots a distance 

 of^ thirty-three cubits, having both room and 

 nourishment. 



The fig would seem, one may say, to have the 

 longest roots, and in general plants which have wood 

 of loose texture and straight roots would seem to 

 have these longer. Also young plants, provided that 

 they have reached their prime, root deeper and have 

 longer roots than old ones ; for the roots decay along 

 with " the rest of the plant's body. And in all 

 cases alike the juices of plants '^ are more powerful in 

 the roots than in other parts, while in some cases 

 they are extremely j>owerful ; wherefore the roots 

 are bitter in some plants whose fruits are sweet ; 

 some roots again are medicinal, and some are frag- 

 rant, as those of the iris. 



The character and function of the roots of the 

 '^ Indian fig' (banyan) are peculiar, for this plant sends 

 out roots from the shoots till it has a hold on the 

 ground ^ and roots again ; and so there comes to be 

 a continuous circle of roots round the tree, not 

 connected with the main stem but at a distance 

 from it. 



* Tor? (pvrols Aid. ; rats pi(ais conj. W. from O : text pro- 

 bably defective. 



' rp 7f conj. Seal from G ; itvk^ U; -rp irvKfi PoAld. 



53 



