Plinies Naturall Hiftorie. 



A Ccc3ar,CcdrcIate ; whereof commeth the beft Rofin. And the timber of it is everlafling : where- 

 fore inpld time they were wont to make the images of thegodsjofthiswoodjasitappearcth by 

 theftatueof AfoUsSofianmymTL^Qoi Cedar woodjbrought from Seleuciajn Arcadia there is a 

 tree like the Cedar^but in Phrygia it is called a fhrub, 



C H AP* V I, 



^ of thcTmbinth. 



Mdreoverjin Syria groweih the Terebinth or Terpentine tree. The male beareth no fruit* 

 The females be of twoforts;the onecarieihredgrainesof the bigneire of Lentils, the 

 B other bring forth palefeeds.This fruit of the Terebinth ripeneth with grapes.Vpon the 



mountaine Ida near Troasjitis as big as aBeanCjmore pleafant tofmcll unco, and glutinous'like 

 Rofinjif a man handle it. But in Macedonie the tree is but fhortjand fpreadeth braunehcs like a 

 {hrubrcontrariwifcj about Damafcus in Syria5it is very great and tall. Thetimberof icis verie 

 toughjcontinueth a longtime^and never flirinketh for age : of colour blacke, but palTing faire^ 

 and refplendent withall.lt puttcth forth flowers in duffers after the manner of the Olivejbut it is 

 red : and the leaves othcrwifc grow very thicke.It beareth alfo certaine nnall cods or bladders full 

 of a gummie and clammie moiflure(which alfo ifTueth out of thebarkc) and out of thofe blad- 

 ders there come forth little flies like gnats. 

 Alio the male Rhus or Sumach of Syria doth beajre fruit :wheras the females is barren* This 

 C plant putteth forth leaves like to the Elme^but that they be ibmewhat longer, and full of haires, 

 and evermore the fleles of the leaves grow contrarie one againii the other. As for the braun- 

 ches, they be (lender and fliortj good for curriers to dreife their skins and make leather whiter 

 The feed or graine thereof refcmbleth Lentils : and being ripe^it is redjand commonly with the 

 grape. The which is called Rhus or Sumachj.even as the tree : a neceffarie fruit for many me- 

 dicines, - : 



Chap. vii. 



J§p oftheAegjpianandCjprian Sycomofss or Fig-trees* 



D IN iEgyptlikewife there be foqnd many rtecs which grow not elfewhere J and principally the 

 J[ Sycomorejwhich thereupon is called the Egyptian Figtree. The tree for leafejbigneflej and 

 barke,is like unto the Mulberie tree. It beareth fruit not upon the branches,but out of the very 

 bodicof tbeSockc. And the fame is a paj[Iingfweetfig,but without any graines at all within. Ic 

 doth increafc in exceeding great abundance Jb itbe fcraped and clawed only with yron hooks : 

 for orherwifeit will not ripen. Come then foure daies after to gather it, you (hall notmiilc buc 

 find it ripCjand new comming up in the place.Thus in every fummcr you fhall have a fevenfold 

 €ncreafe_jand the fame in much plentie^ yeeidingalfo great abundance of milke. Andfay that 

 you doe not ufe the fcraping or paring abovenamed,yet lliall you be fiire of four fiuits in a fum- 

 mer,one under anothcr^but fo as the new will drive the old before it^and cauieit to fhed and fail 



E before it bee well ripe, for want of that handling beforefaid. The timber of this tree is counted 

 right good and profeable.,, havingone lingular propertie by it fclfe.No fooncr is it hewed, but 

 prefently it is eaf^ into {landing poolesjand there drowned.Thisis the only way to feafojx,& drie 

 it.At the firll;lfay)ic finketh downe to the bottome:,but afterwards it beginneth to flote above : 

 and withoutall queftion, the water which ufeih to wet and drench all other treesjfoketh andfuc- 

 keth forth the fap and humiditie of this wood.Now when it beginneth once to fwim aloftjit is a 

 figne thatit hath the full ieafdning,and is good for building and other workes. 



. Liketo thisSycomoreinfomeforcis a certaine tree in Can die, which i3 called the Cyprian 

 fig-tree. For this likewife beareth fruit comming out at the very flockcjor the maine armes and 

 boughes thereof,when they be growne to any thicknefle :but it putteth forth certain fprigs with- 



F out any leaves at all, and they refemblc roots. Now this tree is in bodie much like to the Poplar^ 

 but in leafe,totheElmc. It beareth fruit foure times a yeare, and as often doth it bud. But the 

 grecne figs will hang fo flilland never ripen, unlefle they be jcarified and skicedfo,as the milkie 

 fiibf^ance may run out.The fruit within,is made like a fig,and hath the fame pleafant tail; but it is 

 no bigger than the Sorvis, 



L I ii; Chap/ 



