1693 The oleaster furnishes but little oil, and it is seldom extracted. The oil is thinner than ordinary olive oil, and has a stronger odour.
1694 The Daphne Cneorum and Daphne Cnidium of botanists. See B. xiii. c. 35, also B. xxiv. c. 82. Fée doubts if an oil was ever made from the chamelæa.
1695 See B. xxiii. c. 41: the Ricinus communis of Linnæus, which abounds in Egypt at the present day. Though it appears to have been formerly sometimes used for the table, at the present day the oil is only known as “castor” oil, a strong purgative. It is one of the fixed oils. The Jews and Abyssinian Christians say that it was under this tree that Jonah sat.
1696 A “tick.”
1697 This method, Fée says, is still pursued in America.
1699 An essential oil may be extracted from either; it is of acrid taste, green, and aromatic; but does not seem to have been known to the ancients. The berries give by decoction a fixed oil, of green colour, sweet, and odoriferous. The oils in general here spoken of by Pliny as extracted from the laurel, are medicinal oils.
1700 The Laurus latifolia of Bauhin.
1701 The Myrtus latifolia Romana of Bauhin. It yields an essential oil, and by its decoction might give a fixed oil, in small quantity, but very odoriferous. As boiled with olive oil, he treats it as a volatile oil.
1702 See B. xxv. c. 100. This myrtle is the Ruscus aculeatus of Linnæus.
1703 See B. xiii. c. 29, and B xxiii. c. 45. A volatile oil might be extracted from the citrus, if one of the thuyæ, as also from the cypress.
1704 See B. xxiii. c. 45. It is a fixed oil, still considerably used in some parts of Europe.
1705 From the Greek καρύα, a “walnut.”
1706 “Pitch oil.” See B. xxiv. c. 11. This would be a volatile oil.
1707 See B. xxiii. c. 45, also B. xiii. c. 35. Fée is of opinion, that as no fixed oil can be extracted from the Daphne Cnidium or Daphne Cneorum, Pliny must allude to a medicinal composition, like the oil of wild myrtle, previously mentioned.
1711 Neither the chesnut nor rice produce any kind of fixed oil.
1713 Or Fish-eaters. See B. xxxii. c. 38. This is one of the fixed oils.
1714 In reality, no fixed oil can be obtained from them.
1716 Not an oil, so much as a medicinal preparation. Dioscorides mentions as component parts of it, omphacium, sweet rush, Celtic nard, aspalathus, costus, and must. It received its name from γλεῦκος “must.”
1725 Fée doubts the possibility of such a resemblance.
1726 Hyoscyamus. A medicinal oil is still extracted from it. See B. xxiii. c. 49.
1727 This medicinal oil is no longer used. The Lupinus albus was formerly held in greater esteem than it is now.
1728 The Raphanus sativus of Linnæus. See B. xix. c. 26. This is one of the fixed oils; varieties of it are rape oil, and colza oil, now so extensively used.
1729 From the Greek χόρτος, “grass.” This medicinal oil would be totally without power or effect.
1730 A fixed oil is still extracted in Egypt from the grain known as sesamum.
1731 See B. xxii. c. 15.
1732 From κνίδη, a “nettle.” The nettle, or Urtica urens of Linnæus, has no oleaginous principles in its seed.
1733 Lily oil is still used as a medicinal composition: it is made from the petals of the white lily, Lilium candidum of Linnæus.
1734 From Selga, a town of Pisidia. See B. xxiii. c. 49.
1735 See B. iii. c. 9, and B. xxiii. c. 49.
1736 A volatile oil, mixed with a small proportion of empyreumatic oil and carbon.
1737 “Oil-honey.” Probably a terebinthine, or oleo-resin. See B. xxiii. c. 50.
1738 When rancid and oxygenized by age, it has an irritating quality, and may be found useful for herpetic diseases.
1739 It very probably will have this effect; but at the expense of the colour of the ivory, which very soon will turn yellow.
1740 It has quite lost its ancient repute: the only use it is now put to is the manufacture of an inferior soap. See B. xxiii. c. 37.
1741 De Re Rust. cc. 130, 169.
1742 Dolia and cadi. Fée observes, that this, if done with the modern vessels, would have a tendency to make the oil turn rancid.
1743 On the contrary, Fée is inclined to think it would attract them, from its mucilaginous properties.
1744 Olive oil, however, has a tendency to generate verdigrease in copper vessels.
1745 This, as Fée remarks, is probably so absurd as not to be worth discussing.
1746 Re Rust. B. i. c. 2.
1747 If she happens to have destroyed the buds, but not otherwise.
1748 The Pinus cembro, probably, of Linnæus.
1750 Probably the wild pine, the Pinus silvestris of the moderns. The nuts are slightly resinous.
1751 Neither the people of Turin nor of any other place are known at the present day to make this preparation.
1752 The quince, the Pirus Cydonia of Linnæus.
1753 From Cydonia, a city of Crete. The Latin name is only a corruption of the Greek one: in England they were formerly called “melicotones.”
1754 Or “golden apple.” The quince was sacred to Venus, and was an emblem of love.
1755 Apparently meaning the “sparrow quince.” Dioscorides, Galen, and Athenæus, however, say that it was a large variety. Qy. if in such case, it might not mean the ostrich quince?
1756 “Early ripener.”
1757 Quinces are not grafted on quinces at the present day, but the pear is.
1758 Fée suggests that this is a kind of pear.
1759 Probably on account of the fragrance of their scent.
1760 We learn from other sources that the bed-chambers were frequently ornamented with statues of the divinities.
1761 The Mala cotonea silvestris of Bauhin; the Cydonia vulgaris of modern botanists.
1762 “Mala.” The term “malum,” somewhat similar to “pome” with us, was applied to a number of different fruits: the orange, the citron, the pomegranate, the apricot, and others.
1763 Or peach.
1765 Or “pound-weight” pears: the Pirus volema of Linnæus.
1766 Or “hard-berry”—probably in reference to the firmness of the flesh. It is generally thought to be the nectarine.
1767 “Præcocia.” It is generally thought that in this name originates the word “apricot,” the Prunus Armeniaca of Linnæus. There is, however, an early peach that ripens by the middle of July, though it is very doubtful if it was known to Pliny.
1768 “From above.”
1769 Perhaps the Prunus ungarica of naturalists, the black damask plum; or else the Prunus perdrigona, the perdrigon.
1770 Probably the Prunus galatensis of naturalists.
1771 “Hordearia:” the Prunus præcox of naturalists; probably our harvest plum.
1772 Or “ass”-plum. The Prunus acinaria of naturalists: the cherry plum of the French.
1773 Or “wax plum.” The Prunus cereola of naturalists: the mirabelle of the French.
1774 Possibly the Prunus enucleata of Lamarck: the myrobalan of the French. Many varieties, however, are purple.
1775 There are two opinions on this: that it is the Prunus Claudiana of Lamarck, the “Reine Claude” of the French; or else that it is identical with the apricot already mentioned, remarkable for the sweetness of its smell.
1776 Or nut-prune.
1777 The Prunus insititia of Linnæus.
1778 The result of this would only be a plum like that of the tree from which the graft was cut.
1779 The same as with reference to the graft on the apple.
1780 This is probably quite fabulous.
1782 The Prunus Damascena of the naturalists; our common damson, with its numerous varieties.
1783 Probably the Cordia myxa of Linnæus; the Sebestier of the French. It has a viscous pulp, and is much used as a pectoral. It grows only in Syria and Egypt; and hence Fée is inclined to reject what Pliny says as to its naturalization at Rome, and the account he gives as to its being engrafted on the sorb.
1784 I. e. Asia Minor.
1785 Hospitium.
1787 It was this probably, and not the peach-tree, that would not bear fruit in the isle of Rhodes.
1788 Perseus.
1789 Fée remarks that the wild plum, the Prunus silvestris or insititia of Linnæus, was to be found in Italy before the days of Cato.
1791 Of Media.
1792 Its fruit will ripen in France, as far north as Tours. It is the Zizyphus vulgaris of Lamarck. It resembles a small plum, and is sometimes used as a sweetmeat. The confection sold as jujube paste is not the dried jelly of this fruit, but merely gum arabic and sugar, coloured.
1793 A variety of the jujube, Fée is inclined to think. A nut-peach has also been suggested.
1794 A.U.C. 779.
1795 Or perhaps embankment: “agger.”
1796 A reddish colour. For the composition of this colour, see B. xxxv. c. 24.
1797 “Lanata;” perhaps rather the “downy” fruit; a variety of quince, Fée thinks. Pliny probably had never seen this fruit, in his opinion, and only speaks after Virgil, Ecl. ii. l. 51. “Ipse ego cana legam tenera lanugine mala.”
1798 See B. xii. c. 6. The Matian and the Cestian apple are thought by Dalechamps to have been the French “court-pendu,” or “short stalk.”
1799 The Scandian is thought to have been a winter pear.
1800 Adrian Junius takes this to be the “kers-appel” of the Flemish.
1801 De Re Rust. cc. 7 and 143.
1802 Dolia.
1803 Hardouin says that this is the “Pomme d’api” of the French; it is the “Court-pendu” with Adrian Junius.
1804 The “Pomme de Saint Thomas,” according to Adrian Junius: Dalechamps identifies it with the pomme de Granoi. See B. iii. c. 19, and cc. 17 and 18 of the present Book.
1805 “Græcula.” So called, perhaps, from Tarentum, situated in Magna Græcia.
1806 Twins. This variety is unknown.
1807 Or “red” apple. The red calville of the French, according to Hardouin; the Pomme suzine, according to Dalechamps.
1808 The Girandotte of the French; the appel-heeren of the Dutch.
1809 The “early ripener.” Dalechamps identifies it with the pomme Saint Jean, the apple of St. John.
1810 The Pomme rose, or rose apple, according to Dalechamps.
1811 Or “erect teat.” The Pomme taponne of the French, according to Dalechamps.
1812 Or eunuch. The Passe pomme, or Pomme grillotte of the French.
1813 Or “leaf apple.” Fée remarks that this occasionally happens, but the apple does not form a distinct variety.
1814 The Pomme pannete, according to Dalechamps: the Pomme gelée of Provence.
1815 Or “lung” apple. The Pomme folane, according to Dalechamps.
1816 The Pirus malus of Linnæus, the wild apple, or estranguillon of the French.
1817 It is doubtful whether he does not allude here to a peculiar variety.
1818 Or “mealy” apples.
1819 Or “proud” pear. The Petite muscadelle, according to Dalechamps. Adrian Junius says that it is the water-peere of the Dutch.
1820 From Crustumium in Italy; the Poire perle, or pearl pear, according to Dalechamps: the Jacob’s peere of the Flemish.
1821 The Poire sucrée, or “sugar-pear,” according to Hardouin; the Bergamotte, according to Dalechamps.
1822 “Potu.” He would appear to allude to the manufacture of perry.
1823 The Syrian pear is commended by Martial; it has not been identified, however.
1824 The Poire musot, according to Dalechamps. Adrian Junius says that it is the Engelsche braet-peere of the Flemish.
1825 The Pirus Pompeiana of Linnæus. Dalechamps identifies it with the Bon chretien, and Adrian Junius with the Taffel-peere of the Flemish.
1826 The “breast-formed.”
1827 The Pirus Favonia of Linnæus: the Grosse poire muscadelle of the French.
1828 The Poire prevost, according to Dalechamps.
1829 The Poire foré, according to Dalechamps.
1830 The Saint Thomas’s pear of the Flemish.
1831 The Poire chat of the French, according to Dalechamps; the Riet-peere of the Flemish.
1832 “Like onyx.” The Cuisse-madame, according to Dalechamps.
1833 The Calveau rosat, according to Dalechamps. Perhaps the Poire d’ambre, or amber pear, of the French.