490 
pltny's natural history. [Book XVII. 
advantageous method of ensuring an abundant increase. These 
moments, too, are of peculiar importance in relation to the 
process of grafting, as it is then that the two productions ma- 
nifest a mutual desire of uniting. Those who prefer the spring 
for grafting commence operations immediately after the vernal 
equinox, reckoning on the fact that then the buds are just 
coming out, a thing that greatly facilitates the union of the 
barks. On the other hand, those who prefer the autumn graft 
immediately after the risiug of Arcturus, because then the graft 
at once takes root in some degree, and becomes seasoned for 
spring, so as not to exhaust its strength all at once in the pro- 
cess of germination. However, there are certain fixed periods 
of the year, in all cases, for certain trees ; thus, the cherry, 
for instance, and the almond, are either planted or grafted about 
the winter solstice. Eor many trees the nature of the locality 
will be the best guide ; thus, where the soil is cold and moist 
it is best to plant in spring, and where it is dry and hot, in 
autumn. 
Taking Italy in general, the proper periods for these opera- 
tions may be thus distributed : — The mulberry is planted at 
any time between the ides of Pebruary^^ and the vernal equi- 
nox ; the pear, in the autumn, but not beyond the fifteenth 
day before the winter solstice ; the summer apples, the quince, 
the sorb, and the plum, between mid- winter and the ides of 
February : the Greek carob^^ and the peach, at any time in 
autumn before the winter solstice ; the various nuts, such as 
the walnut, pine, filbert, almond, and chesnut, between the 
calends of March^^ and the ides of that month the willow 
and the broom about the calends of March. The broom is 
grown from seed, and in a dry soil, the willow from plants, in 
a damp locality, as already stated on former occasions.^^ 
(19.) That I may omit nothing to my knowledge of the 
facts that I have anywhere been able to ascertain, I shall here 
add a new method of grafting, which has been discovered by 
Columella, as he asserts, by the aid of which trees even of a 
heterogeneous or dissociable nature may be made to unite ; 
52 I3tli of February. 53 xv. c 26. 
^4 1st of March. 55 15th of March. 
56 B. xvi. cc. 30, 46, 67, and 78. 
5^ De He East. B. v. c. 11. A very absurd and useless method. Fee 
remarks. 
