BOOK XIX, XXX. 97-xxxi. 100 



from seed, but as a matter of fact they spring up 

 of themselves in the plains near Palestrina, and 

 also in unHmited quantity in the country round 

 Reims. 



XXXI. Nearly all kitchen-garden plants have VarUtiesof 

 only a single root, for instance radish, beet, parsley," Jp''^'^.^''-^''"'^ 

 mallow. Sorrel has the largest root, going as far as a 

 yard and a half into the ground (the root of the wild 

 sorrel is smaller), and its root is full of sap, and Uves 

 a long time even after bcing dug up. In some of 

 these plants,however,for instance parsley and mallow, 

 the root is fibrous, in some, for instance basil, 

 woody, in others fleshy, as in beet or still more in 

 safFron, and wth some, for instance radish and turnip, 

 the roots consist of rind and flesh, and the roots of 

 some, for instance hay-grass, are jointed. Those 

 which have not a straight root support themselves 

 immediately ■\\ath a great many hairy fibres, for 

 instance orage and bhte ; but squill and the bulbs 

 and onion and garlic only throw out straight roots. 

 Some of the plants that grow self-sovvn have more 

 root than leaf, for instance spalax,^ partridge-plant 

 and crocus. Wild thyme, southernwood, navews, 

 radishes, mint and rue blossom all in a bunch. All 

 other plants shed their blossom all at once as soon as 

 they have begun to do so, but basil does so gradually, 

 starting from the bottom, and consequently it 

 flowers for a very long time. This also happens 

 in the case of the hehotrope. Some plants have a 

 white flower, others yellow and others purple. Wild 

 marjoram and elecampane shed their leaves from the 

 top down, and so sometimes does rue when it has been 

 damaged by an accident. The onion and the getion- 

 leek have especially hoUow leaves. 



485 



