BOOK XVII. XXX. 130-133 



raked over every other year between the spring 

 equinox and the rising of the Pleiads, and also to 

 have the moss scraped ofF the trees, but for theni 

 to be dug round every year just after midsummer 

 with a hole a vard across and a foot deep, and to 

 be manured with dung every third year. 



Mago also tells us to plant almonds between the 

 rising of Arcturus and the shortest day, and not to 

 plant all kinds of pears at the same time, as they do 

 not bk)ssom at the same time either ; he says that 

 those with oblong or round fruit should be planted 

 between the setting of the Pleiads and the shortest 

 dav, but the remaining kinds in midwinter after the 

 setting of the Arrow, with an eastern or northerly 

 aspect ; and a laurel between the setting of the Eagle 

 and the setting of the Arrow. For the rule as to the 

 time for planting and that for grafting are con- 

 nected : the authorities have decided that for the 

 greater part grafting should be done in spring and 

 autumn, but there is also another suitable season, 

 about the rising of the Dogstar, known to fewer 

 people because it is understood not to be equally 

 advantageous for all localities, but as we are enquiring 

 into the proper method not for a particular region 

 but for the whole of nature we must not omit it. In 

 the district of Cyrene they plant when the yearly 

 winds are blowing, as they also do in Greece, and 

 particularly the olive in Laconia. The island of Cos 

 also plants vincs at that season, but the rest of the 

 farmers in (ireece, though they do not hesitate to 

 inoculate and to graft trees at that season, do not 

 plant trees then. And the natural qualities of the 

 localitics carry very great weight in this matter; 

 for in Kgypt they plant in every month, and so in 



93 



