164 AGRICULTURE. 



the origin of the still further operation of ploughing 

 between the rows of corn. In the course of a razzia, 

 which seems to have taken place in spring or early sum- 

 mer, the Salassi easily destroyed the winter-sown crops of 

 their enemies. But the panic and millet, which were only 

 just coming up, were not susceptible of the same sort of 

 injury. They were therefore ploughed in. As however 

 the crops recovered, and proved unusually abundant, hus- 

 bandmen adopted the practice of ploughing among their 

 corn, either when the spike was just showing itself, or 

 when it had put forth two or three leaves ; probably about 

 the stage which we call spindling. 



The whole operation of growing a crop of wheat or 

 barley was, as respects two-thirds of the crop, as follows: 

 A bare fallow extending from June (the time of harvest) 

 to the September in the following year : four or more 

 ploughings, and efficient breaking down by harrows and 

 other implements ; two or more hoeings and a hand- weed- 

 ing. This is represented to have been ordinary practice, 

 and the maxims are in conformity. " He," says Columella, 

 " appears to me to be the very worst of farmers who allows 

 weeds to grow among his crops. The produce must be 

 exceedingly diminished if weeding is neglected." On this 

 point we must let Dickson speak for himself. " When we 

 consider how frequently in the ancient husbandry the land 

 was fallowed, how frequently and at what seasons the 

 fallow was ploughed, we are apt to imagine that there 

 would be very little necessity for weeding; and yet the 

 care of the Roman farmers in this article seems to exceed 

 their care in every other thing." Weeds, however, were 

 not the only objects of the hoeings. The ancients con- 

 sidered that the growth of corn was much promoted by 

 stirring the ground. One, or frequently two, of the four 

 ploughings having been given to the bare portion of the 

 fallow-break before winter, a larger proportion of the force 

 of the farm could be devoted to the land which was sown 

 with crops to be mown green for the cattle. Day by day 



