AGR 



23 



AGR 



culture were very few and simple. He- | curious antiquarian, tlian of tlie practi- 

 siod mentions a plough, consisting ; cal cultivator. Tlie plough is repre- 

 of three parts — the share-beam, the , scnted by Cato as of two kinds — one for 

 draught-pole and the plough-tail; but , strong, the other for light so:is. Varro 

 antiquarians are not agreed as to its ! mentions one with two mould-boards*, 

 exact form ; also a cart with low wheels, ] with which, he says, 'when they 

 and ten spans (seven feet six inches) in ■ plough, after sowing the seed, they are 

 width; likewise the rake, sickle and said to ridge.' Pliny mentions a plough 

 ox-goad; but no description is given of with one mould-board, and others with 

 the mode in which they were con- , a coulter, of wliich he says there were 

 structed. The operations of Grecian many kinds. — Fallowing was a practice 

 culture, according to Hesiod, were rarely deviated from by the Romans, 

 neither numerous nor complicated. The In most cases, a fallow and a year's 

 ground received three ploughings — one crop succeeded each other. M. inure 

 in autumn, another in spring, and a third , was collected from nearly or quite as 

 immediately before sowing the seed, i many sources as hav6 been resorted to 

 Manures were applied, and Pliny as- '■ by the moderns. Pigeon's dung was 

 cribes their invention to the Grecian esteemed of the greatest value, and, 

 king Augeas. Theophrastus mentions next to that, a mixture of night soil, 

 six different species of manures, and scrapings of the streets and urine, 

 adds, that a mixture of soils produces * which were applied to the roots of the 

 the same effect as manures. Clay, he , vine and olive. — The Romans did not 

 observes, should be mixed with sand, i bind their corn into sheaves. When 

 and sand with clay. Seed was sown cut, it was sent directly to the area to 

 by hand, and covered with a rake. ■ be threshed, and was separated from 

 Grain was reaped with a sickle, bound the chaff by throwing it from one part of 

 in sheaves, threshed, then winnowed by ; the floor to the other. Feeding down 

 wind, laid in chests, bins or granaries, | grain, when too luxuriant, was practised, 

 and taken out as wanted by the fainily, Virgil says, ' What commendation shall 

 to be pounded in mortars or (juern mills I give to him, who, lest his corn should 

 into meal. — The ancient Romans vene- lodge, pastures it, while young, as soon 

 rated the plough, and, in the earliest as the blade equals the furrow !' (Gear., 

 and purest times of the republic, the : lib. i., 1. 111.) Watering ,on a large 

 greatest praise which could be given to 1 scale was applied both to arable and 

 an illustrious character was to say that ' grass lands. Virgil advises to 'bring 

 he was an industrious and judicious hus- down the waters of a river upon the 

 bandman. M. Cato, the censor, who sown corn, and, when the field is 

 was celebrated as a statesman, orator parched and the plants drying, convey 

 and general, having conquered nations it from the Ynow of a hill in channels.' 

 and governed provinces, derived his (Geor., lib. i., I. 106.) — The farm man- 

 highest and most durable honours from agemcnt most approved of by the sci- 

 having written a voluminous work on entific husbandmen of Rome was, in 

 agriculture. In the Georgics of Vir- general, such as would nieet the appro- 

 gil, the majesty of verse and the har- bation of modern cultivators. The im- 

 mony of numbers add dignity and grace portance of thorough tillage isillustrated 

 to the most useful of all topics. The by the following apologue : A vine- 

 celebrated Columella flourished in the dresser had two daughters and a vine- 

 reign of the Kn)peror Claudius, and yard; when his oldest daughter was 



he wrote twelve books on husbandry, 

 which constituted a complete treatise 

 on rural affairs. Varro, Pliny and Pal- 

 Jadius were likewise among the distin- 

 guished Romans who wrote on agricul- 



married, he gave her a third of his vine- 

 yard for a portion, notwithstanding 

 which he had the same quantity of fruit 

 as formerly. When his youngest daugh- 

 ter was married, he gave her half of 



tural subjects. — With regard to the Ro- , wiiat remained ; still the produce of his 

 man implements of agriculture, we , vineyard was undiminished. This re- 

 Jearn that they used a great many, but : suit was tlio consequence of his bestow- 

 their particular forms and uses are very ; ingas much labour on the third part left 

 imperfectly described. From what we after his daughters had received their 

 can ascertain respecting them, they ap- \ portions, as he had been accustomed to 

 pear more worthy of the notice of the Igive to the whole vineyard. — The Ro- 



