BOOK XIX. Lvin. 178-181 



LVIII. The same author has given an account of a Proueiion 

 remedy against ants, which are not the least dcstructive '^'""*' """*• 

 of pests in gardens not well supplied with water ; the 

 plan is to stop up the mouths of ant-holes with sea- 

 sUme or ashes. But the most effective thing for killing 

 ants is the heHotrope plant ; and some people also 

 think that water in which an unbaked brick has been 

 soaked is injurious to these insects. It protects 

 navews to sow some bitter vetch with them. and simi- 

 hirly chick-pea for cabbages, as it kee])s off caterpillars. 

 If neglect of this precaution has led to the appearance 

 of caterpillars, the remedy is to sprinkle them with a 

 decoction of wormwood or of houselcek; we have 

 mentioned this class of plant, which some call xviii. 159. 

 immoriel. It is stated that if cabbage secd is soaked 

 in the juice of houseleek before being sown, the cab- 

 bages will be immune from all kinds of insects ; and 

 it is said that caterpillars can be totally exterminated 

 in gardens by fixing up on a stake the skull of an 

 animal of the horse class, provided it is that of a 

 female. There is also a story that a river crab hung 

 up in the middle of a garden is a protection against 

 caterpillars. Some people touch plants which they 

 want to be immune from caterpillars with slips of 

 blood-red cornel. Also gnats infest damp gardens, 

 especially if there are any shrubs in them ; these can 

 be driven away by burning galbanum resin. 



In regard to the deterioration of seeds, some /.ongevity o/ 

 keep longer than others, for instance coriander, "'^- 

 beet, leek, cress, mustard, rocket, savory and the 

 pungent seeds generally ; while the seeds of orage, 

 basil, gourd and cucumber do not keep so well, and 

 summer seeds in general are not so strong as winter 

 ones. The least lasting is long-onion seed. Oftlicse 



535 



