470 
?li:?3t's natueal histosy. 
[Book XYII. 
terror of the praetor of Praeneste, he had ordered the lictors to 
draw^^ their axes. And, indeed, there is no harm in cutting 
awa)^ those portions [of the root] which have become exposed. 
Some persons recommend that a bed should be formed at the 
bottom, of potsherds or round pebbles,*^^ which both allow the 
moisture to pass and retain as much as is wanted ; while at 
the same time they are of opinion that flat stones are of no use 
in such a case, and only prevent the root from penetrating'''^ 
the earth. To line the bottom with a layer of gravel would be 
to follow a middle course between the two opinions. 
Some persons recommend that a tree should not be trans- 
planted before it is two years old, nor yet after three, while 
others, again, are of opinion that if it is one year old it is 
quite sufficient ; Cato"^^ thinks that it ought to be more than 
five fingers in thickness at the time. The same author, too, 
would not have omitted, if it had been of any importance, to 
recommend that a mark"^^ should be made on the bark for the 
purpose of pointing out the southern aspect of the tree ; so 
that, when transplanted, it may occupy exactly the same posi- 
tion that it has previously done ; from an apprehension that 
the north side of the tree, on finding itself opposite to a south- 
ern sun, might split, and the south side be nipped by the 
north-eastern blasts. Indeed, there are some persons who 
follow a directly opposite practice even in the vine and the fig,'^^ 
by placing the north side of the tree, when transplanted, to- 
wards the south, and vice versa ; being of opinion that by 
think it not inappropriate to introduce the story of Papirius, who, when 
only intending to have a stump cut down that grevz in tlie way, took the 
opportunity of frightening the praetor of Praeneste, by the suddenness of 
the order to his lictor, and probably the peremptory tone in which it was 
given. This was all the more serious to the prastor, as Papirius had been 
rebuking him just before in the severest terms. 
6^ From the bundle of fasces, or rods. 
''^ This precept is borrowed from Yirgil, Georg. ii. 348, et seq, 
"'^ There is little doubt that they took the right view. 
?2 De Ee Rust. 28. 
"'^ This precaution is omitted by the modern nurserymen, though Fee is 
inclined to think it might be attended with considerable advantage, as the 
fibres of the side that has faced the south are not likely to be so firm as 
those of the northern side. This precaution, however, would be of more 
importance with exotic trees than indigenous ones. It is still practised to 
some extent with the layers of the vine. 
'^^ Fee suggests that Pliny may have here misunderstood a passage in 
Theophrastus, Hist. Plant, ii. 8, with reference to the planting of the fig. 
