BOOK XV. xAxii. io8-.\\xrii. iio 



ceptible taste or flavour is a dcfcct. In all these 

 flavours smell is of great importance and a great 

 factor of aflnnity ; in the case of water even smell 

 is entirely absent, or if perceptible at all is a defect. 

 It is a remarkable fact that the three chief natural 

 elements, water, air and fire, have neither taste, 

 smell, nor any flavour whatever. 



XXXIII. Among juices, then,those with a vinous Coiour and 

 flavour are the juices of the pear, the mulberry and j^^^,^-^-^'""''* 

 the myrtle-berry, and surprising as it may seem, the 

 juice of the grape least of all. The juice of the oHve, 

 laurel, walnut and almond is unctuous, that of grapes, 

 figs and dates is sweet, and that of plums watery. 

 There is also a great difference in the colour of juice : 

 that of the mulberry, the cherry, the cornel and 

 the black grape is blood-red ; the juice of white 

 grapes is of a light colour ; fig juice is milky white 

 in the part near the stalk but not in the body of 

 the fruit ; apple juice is the colour of foam ; 

 peach juice has no colour at all, in spite of the 

 fact that the hard peach has a large quantity of 

 juice, but no one would say that this has any 

 colour. 



Smell also contains its own marvels. Apples have 

 a pungent scent, peaches a weak one, and sweet 

 fruits none at all ; for even sweet wine has no smell, 

 although thin wine has more aroma, and wincs of that 

 class become fit for use much sooner than those with 

 more body. Fruits with a scent are not Hkewise 

 agreoable to the palate, as scent and flavour do not go 

 together — so that citrons have a very penetrating 

 smell and a very rough taste, and in some degree 

 that is the case with quinces also ; and figs have 

 no smell. 



363 



