Chap. 75.] TIIE EEYOLUTIOXS OF THE MOON. Ill 



even, in consequence of the want of wine- vessels, and putting 

 the must into receivers, ^^ or else pouring the old wine out of 

 its vessels, to make room for new liquor of a very doubtful 

 quality. This, however, happens not so often in consequence 

 of an over-abundant crop, as through carelessness, or else the 

 avarice which leads people to wait for a rise in prices. The 

 method that is adopted by the most economical managers, is 

 to use the produce supplied by each year," and this, too, is 

 found in the end the most lucrative mode of proceeding. As 

 for the other details relative to wines, they have been discussed 

 at sufficient length already f^ and it has been stated on a pre- 

 vious occasion,^® that as soon as the vintage is got in, the olives 

 should at once be gathered, with other particulars relative 

 to the olive after the setting of the Yergiliae. 



CHAP. 75. (32.) THE EEVOLTJTIONS OF THE MOON. 



I shall now proceed to add some necessary information re- 

 lative to the moon, the winds, and certain signs and prognos- 

 tics, in order that I may complete the observations I have to 

 make with reference to the sidereal system. YirgiP has even 

 gone so far, in imitation of Democritus, as to assign certain 

 operations to certain days^ of the moon ; but my sole object 

 shall be, as, indeed, it has been throughout this work, to con- 

 sult that utility which is based upon a knowledge and appre- 

 ciation of general principles. 



All vegetable productions are cut, gathered, and housed to 

 more advantage while the moon is on the wane than while it 

 is on the increase. Manure must never be touched except 

 when the moon is on the wane ; and land must be manured 

 more particularly while the moon is in conjunction, or else at 

 the first quarter. Take care to geld your boars, bulls, rams, 

 and kids, while the moon is on the wane. Put eggs under the 

 lien at a new moon. Make your ditches in the night-time, 

 when the moon is at full. Cover up the roots of trees, while 

 the moon is at full. Where the soil is humid, put in seed 



53 Piscinis. 



°* I. e. before getting in the next year's crop. Of course, he alludes only 

 to wines of an inferior class, used for domestic consumption. 

 " In B. xiv. 56 In jj_ ^v. c. 3. 



57 Georg. i. 276. 



58 In contradistinction to the two periods of full moon, and change of 

 ithe moon, the only epochs in reference to it noticed by I'liuy. 



