12 PLINY'S NATURAL HISTOEY. [Book XVIIL 



we are about to purchase not only excels in the advantages of 

 locality, as already stated, but is really good of itself. We 

 should see, too, he says, that there is an abundance of manual 

 labour in the neighbourhood, as well as a thriving town ; that 

 there are either rivers or roads, to facilitate the carriage of the 

 produce ; that the buildings upon the land are substantially 

 erected, and that the land itself bears every mark of having 

 been carefully tilled a point upon which I find that many 

 persons are greatly mistaken, as they are apt to imagine that 

 the negligence of the previous owner is greatly to the pur- 

 chaser's advantage ; while the fact is, that there is nothing more 

 expensive than the cultivation of a neglected soil. 



For this reason it is that Cato 50 says that it is best to buy 

 land of a careful proprietor, and that the methods adopted by 

 others ought not to be hastily rejected that it is the same 

 with land as with mankind however great the proceeds, if at 

 the same time it is lavish and extravagant, there will be no 

 great profits left. Cato looks upon a vineyard as the most 51 

 profitable investment ; and he is far from wrong in ' that opi- 

 nion, seeing that he takes such particular care to retrench all 

 superfluous expenses. In the second rank he places gar- 

 dens that have a good supply of water, and with good reason, 

 too, supposing always that they are near a town. The ancients 

 gave to meadow lands the name of " parata," or lands " always 

 ready." 52 



Cato being asked, on one occasion, what was the most cer- 

 tain source of profit, " Good pasture land," was his answer ; 

 upon which, enquiry was made what was the next best. "Pretty 

 good 53 pasture lands," said he the amount of all which is, that 

 he looked upon that as the most certain source of income 

 which stands in need of the smallest outlay. This, however, 

 will naturally vary in degree, according to the nature of the 

 respective localities ; and the same is the case with the maxim 54 

 to which he gives utterance, that a good agriculturist must be 



50 De Re Rust, c. 1. 



51 It is still thought so in France, Fee says, and nothing has tended 

 more than this notion to the depreciation of the prices of wine. 



52 Hence the usual Latin name, " prata." 



53 " Si sat bene." Cicero, De Officiis, B. ii. n. 88, gives this anecdote 

 somewhat more at length. 



3 * De Re Rust. c. 2. 



