ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, III. ix. 1-3 



same kind/ since it is by their use that the different 

 characters are recognised. ^ 



The Idaean kind is, as we have said, of straighter-^ 

 and stouter growth, and moreover the tree is 

 altogether more full of pitch, and its pitch is blacker 

 sweeter thinner and more fragrant ^ when it is 

 fresh ; though, when it is boiled, it turns out 

 inferior,^ because it contains so much waterv matter. 

 However it appears that the kinds which these 

 people distinguish bv special names are distinguished 

 by others merely as 'male' and 'female.' The 

 people of Macedonia say that there is also a kind of 

 fir which bears no fruit whatever, in which the 

 male''' (Aleppo pine) is shorter and has harder 

 leaves, while the 'female' (Corsican pine) is taller 

 and has glistening delicate leaves which are more 

 pendent. Moreover the timber of the ' male ' kind 

 has much heart-wood,^ is tough, and warps in joinerv 

 work, while that of the ' female ' is easy to work, 

 does not warp,^ and is softer. 



This distinction between ' male ' and ' female ' 

 may, according to the woodmen, be said to be common 

 to all trees. Any wood of a ' male ' tree, when one 

 comes to cut it with the axe, gives shorter lengths, 

 is more twisted, harder to work, and darker in 

 colour ; while the ' female ' gives better lengths. 

 For it is the ' female ' fir which contains what is 

 called the aigis ^ ; this is the heart of the tree ; the 



')k Kal y\vKVT€pa Kal \iirroTfpa koi ilaoZiffripa Aid. Kf-KTOTtpa, 

 '' less viscous. 



5 cf. 9. 2. 5 ; Plin. 16. 60. « Plin. 16. 47. 



'' irepinvTpa conj. R. Const. : so Mold, explains ; irepifj.T)Tpta 

 UMV. cf. 3. 9. 6. 



8 affTpa^TJ conj. R. Const.; eva-rpafiri Aid. 



'•> aiyiSa : c/. 5. 1. 9 ; Plin. 16. 187. 



213 



