BOOK XVI. XXXVIII. 92-xL. 95 



other trces lose them gradually. — And so much on 

 the subject of leaves. 



XXXIX. The following is the order which Nature Theannnai 

 observes throughout the year. First comes fertihza- l^u^Mingf 

 tion, taking place when the west wind begins to blow, 

 which is generally from February the 8th. This 

 wind impregnates the creatures that derive Hfe from 

 the earth — indeed in Spain even the mares, as we viii. lee. 

 have stated : this is the generating breath of the 

 universe, its name Favonius being derived, as some 

 have supposed, from fovere, ' to foster.' It blows 

 from due west and marks the beginning of spring. 

 Country people call it the cubbing season, as Nature 

 is longing to receive the seeds ; and when she brings 

 Hfe to all the seeds sown, they conceive in a varying 

 number of days and each according to its nature, 

 some immediately, as is the case with animals, 

 while some do so more slowly and carry their progeny 

 for a longer period of gestation, and the process is 

 consequently called ' germination.' WTien a plant 

 flowers it may be said to give birth, and the flower 

 produced makes its appearance by bursting the 

 capsules ; the process of its upbringing takes place 

 in the fruit stage. 



This and the process of budding are the trees' 

 labour ; XL. the blossom is the token of full spring 

 and of the rebirth of the year — the blossom is the trees' 

 rejoicing : it is then that they show themselves new 

 creatures and transformed from what they really are, 

 it is then that they quite revel in rivalUng each other 

 with the varied hues of their colouring. But to Non- 

 many of them this is denied, for they do not all ^^,^"^ 

 blossom, and some of them are sombre and incapable 

 of enjoying the dehghts of the seasons ; the hohii- 



449 



