BOOK XXI. XXXIX. 67-xL. 69 



out at the first showers. Garland-makers actually 

 use the blossom even of the thorn, while the young 

 stalks of the white thorn are preserved to be a 

 delicacy of the table. This is the succession of 

 Howers overseas. In Italy violets are foUowed by 

 the rose, which is still in blossom when the lily 

 appears. The rose is succeeded by the cyanus," the 

 cyanus by the amaranth. But the vicapervica ^ is 

 an evergreen, surrounded by leaves at the joints 

 after the manner of the scarecrow cord,<^ a plant for 

 the fancy garden, but at times fiUing the gap when 

 other fiowers fail. This plant is called chamae- 

 daphne '^ by the Greeks. 



XL. At the most the life of the white violet is 

 three years. After that time it degenerates. The 

 rose lasts even for five years if it is neither pruned 

 down nor burned ; for by these means it renews its 

 youth. We have also said '^ that the soil makes a 

 great diiference. For in Egypt all thcse/ flowers are 

 without perfume, and the myrtle only has a remark- 

 able one. In some places v the buds of all form as 

 much as two months before they do so elsewhere. 

 Rose beds ought to be dug over immediately after 

 the west wind'' begins and again at the solstice, and 

 great care should be taken that in the interval the 

 ground be kept clean and sweet. 



• See § 19. 



f The words of Theophrastus (IJ.P. VI. 8, 5) corresponding 

 to haec oninia, etc. are : tc (J.h' aXXa TravT^ aoaf^La Kal di^Orj Kal 

 apuijxaTa, al hk fivppivai OavfxaoTai ttj evoaixia. Haec omnia as a 

 translation of to. nev d/iXa TrdvTa is misleading, if not in- 

 accurate. 



" With Detlefsen's reading : "and yetthe buds, etc." With 

 Mayhotrs : " elsewhere." With my suggestion, "in Italy." 



*'That is, Feb. 8; see II. 122. 



