228 pliny's fatttkal history. [Book XI Y. 



wrong, and the anxiety to force it to put forth its shoots ; a 

 mode of treatment, he thinks, which absorbs all its fertility, 

 unless the soil in which it is planted happens to be remarkably 

 rich, and by its support prevents it from being exhausted. It 

 is said that this vine is never carbuncled, 65 a remarkable qua- 

 lity, if, indeed, it really is the fact that there is any vine in 

 existence that is exempt from the natural influences of the 

 climate. 



The spionia, by some called the " spinea," 66 is able to bear 

 heat very well, and thrives in the autumn and rainy weather : 

 indeed, it is the only one among all the vines that does well 

 amid fogs, for which reason it is peculiar to the territory of 

 Ravenna. 67 The venicula 68 is one of those that blossom the 

 strongest, and its grapes are particularly well adapted for pre- 

 serving in jars. The Campanians, however, prefer to give it 

 the name of " scircula," while others, again, call it " stacula." 

 Tarracina has a vine known as the " numisiana;" it has no 

 qualities of its own, but has characteristics just according to 

 the nature of the soil in which it is planted : the wine, how- 

 ever, if kept in the earthen casks 69 of Surrentum, is remark- 

 able for its goodness, that is to say, as far south as Vesuvius. 

 On arriving in that district, we find the Murgentina, 70 the very 

 best among all those that come from Sicily. Some, indeed, 

 call the vine " Pompeiana/' 71 and it is more particularly fruitful 

 when grown in Latium, just as the " horconia" 72 is productive 

 nowhere but in Campania. Of a contrary nature is the vine 

 known as the " argeica," and by Yirgil called " argitis:" 78 

 it makes the ground all the more 74 productive, and is remark- 



65 See B. xvii. c. 37. 



66 Or " thorny" vine. Fee queries why it should he thus called. 



67 This humid, marshy locality was noted for the badness of its grapes, 

 and consequently of its wine. 



68 Hardouin thinks that this is the "Marze mina" of the Venetians : 

 whence, perhaps, its ancient name. 



69 " Testis." See B. xxxv. c. 46. 



70 From Murgentum, in Sicily. See B. iii. c. 14. 



71 From Pompeii, afterwards destroyed. See B. iii c. 9. 



72 Hardouin, as Fee thinks, without good reason, identifies this with 

 the "Arelaca" of Columella. 



73 Georgics, ii. 99. 



74 This seems to be the meaning of "ultro solum lsetius tacit." These 

 two lines have been introduced by Sillig, from one of the MSS., for the 

 first time. 



