452 pliny's natural histoby. [Book XVII. 



on land newly cleared, 68 when an ancient forest has been just 

 cut down ; its excellence is a thing that is universally admitted. 

 For the culture of the cereals, too, the same land is gene- 

 rally looked upon as the more improved the oftener it has 

 been allowed to rest 69 from cultivation, a thing that is not the 

 case with vineyards ; for which reason all the greater care is 

 required in the selection of their site, if we would not^ have 

 the opinions of those to appear well founded who entertain the 

 notion that the soil of Italy is already worn out. 70 In other 

 kinds of soil the work of cultivation depends entirely upon the 

 weather ; as, for instance, in those which cannot be ploughed 

 just after rain, because the natural exuberance of the earth 

 renders it viscous and cloggy. On the other hand, in Byza- 

 cium, a district of Africa, and a champaign country of sucli 

 singular fertility as to render grain one hundred and fifty fold, 71 

 the soil is such, that in time of drought, not even bulls are 

 able to plough it; while, on another occasion, just after a shower 

 of rain, one poor ass, with an old woman to guide it, is quite 

 sufficient, 72 as ourselves we have witnessed, to do the plough- 

 ing. But as to amending one soil by the agency of another, 

 as some persons recommend, by throwing rich earth over one 

 that is poor and thin, or by laying a soaking light soil over 

 one that is humid and unctuous, it is a labour of perfect 

 madness. 73 What can a man possibly hope for who cultivates 

 such a soil as this ? 



CHAP 4. (6.) THE EIGHT KINDS OF EAETH BOASTED OE BY THE 



GAULS AND GREEKS. 



There is another method, which has been invented both in 



68 The reason being, that in such cases the soil is saturated with thyme, 

 origanum, mint, and other odoriferous herbs. 



69 This opinion is contrary to that expressed by Columella, B. ii. c. 1 ; 

 but the justice of it is universally recognized. Upon this theory, too, is 

 based the modern practice of alternating the crops in successive years, the 

 necessity of providing for heavy rents, not allowing the land to enjoy ab- 

 solute rest. 



70 This has not come to pass even yet, nearly two thousand years since 

 the days of Pliny. 71 See B. v. c. 3, and B. xviii. c. 21. 



72 Fee taxes our author here with exaggeration. For Byzacium, see B. 

 v. c. 3, and B. xviii. c. 21. 



73 Nevertheless, as Fee remarks, the method is often practised with 

 great success. Pliny is at issue here with Theophrastus, De Causis, B. iii. 

 c. 25. 



