170 
plint's natueal history. [BookXIIT; 
none in Italy that grow spontaneously, nor, in fact, in any ' 
other part of the world, with the exception of the warm coun- 
tries : indeed, it is only in the very hottest climates that this 
tree will bear fruit. i 
CHAP. 7. THE NATURE OF THE PALM-TEEE. 
The palm-tree grows in a light and sandy soil, and for the 
most part of a nitrous quality. It loves the vicinity of flowing 
water ; and as it is its nature to imbibe the whole of the year, 
there are some who are of opinion that in a year of drought 
it will receive injury from being manured even, if the manure , 
is not first mixed with running water ; this, at least, is the idea | 
entertained by some of the Assyrians. ^ 
The varieties of the palm are numerous. First of all, there 
are those which do not exceed the size of a shrub ; they are ' 
mostly barren, though sometimes they are known to produce 
fruit ; the branches are short, and the tree is well covered with 
leaves all round. In many places this tree is used as a kind 
of rough-cast, as it were, to protect the walls of houses 
against damp. The palms of greater height form whole 
forests, the trunk of the tree being protected all round by 
pointed leaves, which are arranged in the form of a comb ; 
these, it must be understood, are wild palms, though sometimes, 
by some wayward fancy or other, they are known to make 
their appearance among the cultivated varieties. The other 
kinds are tall, round, and tapering; and being furnished with 
dense and projecting knobs or circles in the bark, arranged in 
regular gradation, they are found easy of ascent by the people 
in the East ; in order to do which, the climber fastens a loop 
of osier round his body and the trunk, and by this contrivance 
ascends the tree with astonishing rapidity. All the foliage is 
at the summit, and the Iruit as well ; this last being situate, 
not among the leaves, as is the case with other trees, but j 
hanging in clusters from shoots of its own among the t 
branches, and partaking of the nature both of the grape and i 
the apple. The leaves terminate in a sharp edge, like that of V 
a knife, while the sides are deeply indented — a peculiarity 
^0 Or in a wild state. 
" Tectorii vicem." They were probably planted in rows, close to the 
wall. 
12 This mode of ascending the date-palm is still practised in the East. ! 
