Chap. 77.] THE LAYING OUT OF LANDS. 115 



run exactly from right and left of the northern point to loft 

 and right of the southern one. All these lines must pass 

 through the centre of the umbilicus, and all must be of corre- 

 sponding length, arid at equal distances. This method should 

 always he adopted in laying out land ; or if it should be found 

 necessary to employ it frequently, a plan" of it may be made 

 in wood, sticks of equal length being fixed upon the surface 

 of a small tambour, 78 but perfectly round. In the method 

 which 1 am here explaining, it is necessary to point out one 

 precaution that must always be observed by those who are 

 unacquainted with the subject. The point that must be veri- 

 fied first of all is the south, as that is always the same; but 

 the pun, it must be remembered, rises every day at a point in 

 the heavens different to that of his rising on the day before, 

 so that the east must never be taken as the basis for tracing 

 the lines. 



Having now ascertained the various points of the heavens, 

 the extremity of the line that is nearest to the north, but lying 

 to the east of it, will indicate the solstitial rising, or, in other 

 words, the rising of the sun on the longest day, as also the 

 point from which the wind Aquilo 79 blows, known to the Greeks 

 by the name of Boreas. You should plant all trees and vines 

 facing this point, but take care never to plough, or sow corn, 

 or plant in seed plots, while this wind is blowing, for it has the 

 effect of drying up and blasting the roots of the trees while 

 being transplanted. Be taught in time one thing is good for 

 grown trees, another for them while they are but young. Nor 

 have I forgotten the fact, that it is at this point of the heavens 

 that the Greeks place the wind, to which they give the name 

 of Caecias ; Aristotle, a man of most extensive learning, who 

 has assigned to Ca3cias this position, explains that it is in con- 

 sequence of the convexity of the earth, that Aquilo blows in 

 an opposite direction to the wind called Africus. 



The agriculturist, however, has nothing to fear from Aquilo, 

 in respect to the operations before mentioned, all the year 

 through ; for this wind is softened by the sun in the middle of 



77 Very similar to our compass, but describing only eight points of 

 the wind, instead of thirty two. 



78 it Tympanum," a drum, similar in shape to our tambourines or else 

 kettle-drums. 



' See B. ii. c. 46. 



