attached, as with the olive,[1] they say that one must[2] split the wood at the lower end and plant with a stone on top; and the fig and other trees must be treated in like manner with the olive.[3] The fig[4] is also propagated by sharpening a stout shoot and driving it in with a hammer, till only a small piece of it is left above ground, and then piling sand above so as to earth it up; and they say that the plants thus raised grow up to a certain age.
Similar is the method used with vines, when they are propagated by the 'peg'[5] method; for the peg makes a passage for that sort of shoot on account of its weakness; and in the same manner men plant the pomegranate and other trees. The fig progresses more quickly and is less eaten by grubs, if the cutting is set in a squill-bulb[6]; in fact anything so planted is vigorous and grows faster. All those trees which are propagated by pieces cut from the stem should be planted with the cut part downwards,[7] and the pieces cut off should not be less than a handsbreadth in length, as was said,[8] and the bark should be left on. From such pieces new shoots grow, and as they grow, one should keep on heaping up earth about them, till the tree becomes strong.[9] This kind of propagation is peculiar to the olive and myrtle, while the others are more or less common to all trees.
The fig is better than any other tree at striking roots, and will, more than any other tree, grow by any method of propagation. [10]We are told that,
- ↑ ἡ before τῆς om. W.
- ↑ τε τὸ conj. W.; τό τε MVP.
- ↑ καὶ τῆς ἐλαίας U; ἐλάας MVP; so W.
- ↑ Plin. 17, 123.
- ↑ cf. C.P. 3. 12. 1.
- ↑ cf. 7. 13. 4; C. P. 5. 6. 10 (where another bulb, σχῖνος is mentioned as being put to the same use); Athen. 3. 13; Plin. 17. 87.
- ↑ cf. Geop. 9. 11. 8.
- ↑ 2. 5. 3, where however the method of propagation is different.
- ↑ ἄρτιον Ald.; ἀρτιτελῆ conj. W. (quoad satis corroboretur G; donec robur planta capiat Plin. 17. 124); ἄρτιτεων U; ἄρτι τέων MV; ἄρτι τεῶν P2.
- ↑ cf. C.P. 3. 7.
