ROOK XVIII. xxxii. 124-XXXIV. 126 



XXXII. It is the nature of the chick-pea to contain CMek-pecui 



ard other 

 varieties. 



an element of saltness, and consequently it scorches ""^"'^*^ 



the soil, and ought not to be sown vitliout having 

 been soaked the day before. There are several 

 varieties differing in size, colour, shape and flavour. 

 One resembles a ram's head and so is called ' ram's 

 chick-pea ' ; of this there is a black variety and a 

 white one. There is also the dove-pea, another name 

 for which is Venus's pea, bright white, round, smooth 

 and smaller than the rams chick-pea; it is used 

 by rehgious ritual in watch-night services. There is 

 also the chickHng vetch, belonging to a diminutive 

 variety of chick-pea, uneven in shape and with 

 corners Hke a pea. But the chick-pea with the 

 sweetest taste is one that closely resembles the bitter 

 vetch ; the black and red varieties of this are 

 firmer than the white. 



XXXIII. The chick-pea has round pods, whereas 

 those of other leguminous plants are long, and broad 

 to fit the shape of the seed ; the pod of the pea 

 is cyHndrical. The pods of calavance are eaten caiavancc 

 with the seeds themselves. They may be sown in 

 any ground you Hkc from the middle of October to 

 the beginning of November. Leguminous plants 

 ought to be plucked as soon as they begin to ripen, 

 because the seeds quickly jump out and when they 

 have fallen on the ground cannot be found ; and the 

 same as regards lupine. Nevertheless it would be 

 proper to speak first about the turnip, XXXIV. Turmp. 

 (authors of our nation have only touched on it in 

 passing, but the Greeks have dealt with it rather 

 more carefully, although even they have placcd it 

 among kitchen-garden plants), if we are to follow the 

 proper order, as the tumip should be mentioned di- 



269 



