BOOK XVII. xxxvii. 221-224 



infected with red. hairy caterpillars, which eventually 

 kill it ; and the inedlar as well is liable to the same 

 disease when it grows old. 



Star-bli<jht dcpcnds entirely on the heavens, and star-blighc, 

 consequentlv we must includc among these causes o^fArr"" 

 of injury hail and carbuncle-bUglit, and also damage ""'^'"'«« 

 due to frost. The formcr whcn the phmts are tempted <iamage. 

 by the Avarmth of spring to venture to burst out 

 settles on them while they are fairly soft and 

 scorches the milky eyes of the buds, the part which in 

 the flower is called the carbuncle. Frost is of a more 

 damaging nature, because when it has fallen it 

 settles down and freezes, and is not dispelled even 

 by any sHght breeze, because it only occurs when 

 the air is motionless and cahn. A peculiarity how- 

 ever of star-bhght at the rising of the Dog-star is a 

 parching heat, when grafts and sapUngs die, especi- 

 allv figs and vines. 



The oUve besides suffering from worm, to which it 

 is as Uable as is the fig, is also affected by wai-t, or, 

 as some prefer to caU it, fungus or ' platter ' ; this is 

 a scorch caused by the sun. Cato states that redde^^r. = 

 scale is also injurious to the olive. Excessive ^'•''" ^^* * 

 fertiUty also usually injm'es vines and olive. Scab 

 is common to all trees. Eruption and epidermic 

 growths on the bark called ' snails ' are maladies 

 pecuUar to figs, and that not in aU districts — for some 

 diseases belong to particular locaUties. 



But just as man is subject to affliction of the 

 sinews, so also is a tree, and in two ways, as is the case 

 with man : for the force of the disease either attacks 

 its feet, that is the roots, or its knuckles, that is the 

 fingers of tho tnp branches, wliich project farthest 

 from thc whole body ; with thc (jreeks there are 



155 



