ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, V. VI. 1–3
oak and other woods which contain mineral matter, but make good resistance. A proof of this is that they never split like olive and oak, but decay first or fail in some other way. Palm-wood is also strong, for it bends the opposite way to other woods: they bend downwards, palm-wood upwards.[1] It is said that fir and silver-fir also have an upward thrust. As to the sweet chestnut, which grows tall and is used for roofing, it is said that when it is about to split, it makes a noise, so that men are forewarned: this occurred once at Antandros at the baths, and all those present rushed out. Fig-wood is also strong, but only when set upright.[2]
Of the woods best suited for the carpenter's various purposes.
[3]The wood of the silver-fir may be called the strongest of all. But for the carpenter's purposes fir best takes glue because of its open texture and the straightness of its pores[4]; for they say that it never by any chance comes apart when it is glued. Alaternus[5] is the easiest wood for turning, and its whiteness is like that of the holly. Of the rest lime is the easiest, the whole tree, as was said, being easy to work because of the softness of the wood. In general those woods which are tough are easy to bend. The mulberry and the wild fig seem to be specially so; wherefore they make of these theatre-seats,[6] the hoops of garlands, and, in general, things for ornament.
[7]Woods which have a fair amount of moisture in them are easier to saw or split than those which
- ↑ i.e. the strut becomes concave or convex respectively. cf. Xen. Cyr. 7. 5. 11.
- ↑ i.e. it cannot be used as a strut, or it would 'buckle,' though it will stand a vertical strain.
- ↑ Plin. 16. 225.
- ↑ cf. C.P. 5. 17. 3. εὐθυποράτατα: εὐθυπορίαν.
- ↑ cf. 5. 7. 7.
- ↑ Rendering doubtful. ἴκρια has probably here some unknown meaning, on which the sense of κόσμον depends.
- ↑ Plin. 16. 227.
