ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, II. ii. 6-9 



degenerate from seed, since the parent trees are 

 stronger. For tlie contrary ^ would be very strange, 

 seeing that degenerate forms are found even in 

 cultivated trees,^ and among these only in those 

 which are raised from seed. (As a general rule these 

 are degenerate, though men may in some cases effect 

 a change ^ by cultivation). 



Effects of sit nation, climate, tendance. 



Again differences in situation and climate affect the 

 result. In some places, as at Philippi, the soil seems 

 to produce plants which resemble their parent ; on 

 the other hand a few kinds in some few places seem 

 to undergo a change, so that wild seed gives a 

 cultivated form, or a poor form one actually better.* 

 We have heard that this occurs, but only with the 

 pomegranate, in Egypt ^ and Cilicia ; in Egypt a tree 

 of the acid kind both from seeds and from cuttings 

 produces one whose fruit has a sort of sweet taste,^ 

 while about Soli in Cilicia near the river Pinaros 

 (where the battle with Darius was fought) all those 

 l)omegranates raised from seed are without stones. 



If anyone were to plant our palm at Babylon, it is 

 reasonable to expect that it would become fruitful 

 and like the palms of that country. And so would it 

 be with any other country which has fruits that are 

 congenial to that particular locality ; for the locality ^ 

 is more important than cultivation and tendance. 

 A proof of this is the fact that things transplanted 

 thence become unfruitful, and in some cases refuse 

 to grow altogether. 



There are also modifications due to feeding ^ and 



" Or ' wine-like.' Cited by ApoUon, Hist. Mir. 43. 



"^ oStoi conj. W. ; ainhi Aid. 



* Tp Tpo<p^ conj. W. ; t^s Tpo<^7js UMVAld. 



I 2 



