BOOK XMI. xxi. 97-x.\n. 99 



There are two kinds of layer. A branch is bent 

 down from the tree into a hole measuring four feet 

 each wav, and after two years is cut oif at the bend, and 

 three years later the growth is transplanted to another 

 place ; if it is desired to carry layers so struck a con- 

 siderable distance, it is most suitable to plant them at 

 once in baskets or earthenware pots, so that thev niay 

 be carried to the fresh site in these. The other 

 method is more elaborate ; it is effected by inducing 

 roots to grow on the tree itself by passing branches 

 through earthcnware pots or baskets and packing 

 them round with earth, and so enticing roots to grow 

 right among the fruit and at the ends of the branches 

 — as braneh-ends to form roots in this way are 

 obtained at the top of the tree, by the daring device 

 of creating another tree a long way ofF the ground — 

 and after the same interval of two yeai-s as in the 

 previous method cutting off the layer and planting it 

 together with the basket. Savine is grown from a 

 laver and also from a sHp ; it is said that wine-lees or 

 crushed brick from walls make it grow marvellously ; 

 and rosemary is reproduced by the same methods 

 and also from a branch, since neither savine nor 

 rosemarv has a seed; the olcander is grown both 

 by lavering and from seed. 



XXII. Nature has also taught the method of graft- Orafting 

 ing by means of seed ; a seed that has been hurriedly ""'^* "*'' 

 swallowed whole bv a hungry bird and has become 

 sodden by the warmth of its belly is deposited together 

 with a fertiHzing manure of dung in a soft bed in the 

 fork of a tree, or else, as often happens, is cai*ried 

 by the wind into some crevice or other in the bark ; 

 as a result of this we have seen a cherry tree growing 

 on a willow, a plane on a laurel, a laurel on a cherry, 



69 



