Chap. 62.] 
THE lYT. 
399 
if the cj-press is cut down, it will grow again^''' from the root. 
But, in the Isle of Crete, in whatever place the earth is moved, 
this tree will shoot up^^ of its own natural vigour, and imme- 
diately appear above the soil ; indeed, in that island there is 
no occasion even to solicit the soil, for it grows spontaneously 
there, on the mountains of Ida more particularly, and those 
known as the White Mountains. On the very summit of 
these elevations, from which the snows never depart, we find 
the cypress growing in great abundance ; a thing that is truly 
marvellous — seeing that, in other countries, it will only grow 
in warm localities ; from which it would appear to have a great 
dislike to its native climate. 
CHAP. 61. THAT THE EARTH OETEN BEAES PRODXJCTIONS WHICH 
IT HAS NEVER BORNE BEFORE. 
It is not only the quality of the soil and the unchanging 
influences of the climate that affect the nature of trees, but 
wet and showery weather also, temporarily at least. Indeed, 
the torrents very often bring down with them seeds, and some- 
times we find those of unknown kinds even floating along. 
This took place in the territory of Cyrenaica, at the period 
when laser was first grown there, as we shall have occasion to 
mention when we speak of the nature of the various herbs. 
A forest, too, sprang^ up in the vicinity of the city of Cyrene, 
just after a shower of rain, of a dense, pitchy nature, about 
the year of the City of Eome 430. 
CHAP. 62. (34.) THE IVY — TWENTY VARIETIES OF IT. 
It is said that the ivy now grows in Asia,^ though Theo- 
phrastus' has denied that such is the fact, and asserts that it 
grows nowhere in India, except upon Mount Meros.^* He says, 
too, that Harpalus used every possible exertion to naturalize 
^"^ This, Fee says, is the case with none of the coniferous trees. 
Of course this spontaneous creation of the cypress is fabulous ; and, 
indeed, the whole account, which is borrowed from Theophrastus, is greatly 
exaggerated. 
B. xix. c. 15. 
1 This story, which is borrowed from Theophrastus, is evidently fabu- 
lous. 2 Meaning Asia Minor. 
^ Hist. Plant. B. iii c. 10. See B. vi. c. 23. 
