BOOK XVII. XVI. 83-86 



hand; Cato's vieM'" is that it ought to be more than 

 five inches thick. The same authority would not have 

 omitted, if it were important, to recommcnd making 

 a mark in the bark on the south side, so that when 

 trees were ti*ansplanted they might be set in the same 

 directions as regards the seasons as those to which 

 they were accustomed, to prevent their north sides 

 from being split if set facing the midday sun and 

 their south sides from being nipped if facing the 

 north wind. Some people also foUow the contrary 

 plan in the case of a vinc or a fig, replanting 

 them turned the other way round, from the view 

 that this makes them grow thicker foliage and 

 afford better shelter to their fruit and be less liable 

 to lose it, and that a fig-tree so treated also be- 

 comes strong enough to be climbed.* Most pcople 

 only take care to make the wound left where the 

 end of a branch has been lopped face south, not being 

 aware that this exposes it to cracks caused by exces- 

 sive heat ; I should prefer to let a lopped end point 

 somewhat east of south or somewhat west of south. It 

 is equally Httle known that care should be taken not 

 to let the roots become dry owing to delay in re- 

 planting, and not to dig up trees when thc wind is in 

 the north or in any quarter between north and south- 

 east, or at all events not to leave the roots exposed to 

 the wind in these quarters ; such exposure causes trees 

 to die without thc growers knowing the cause. Cato'^ 

 disapproves of wind in any quarter and of rain also 

 during all the time while transplantation is going on. 

 It will be a good precaution against wind and rain to 

 leave as much as possible of the earth in which the 

 trees have been living clinging to their roots, and to 

 bind them all rouiid wilh turf. though for this purpose 



59 



