18 HISTORY OF AGRICULTURE. Part I. 



directs, that, if possible, it shall be placed at the foot of a mountain covered with woods, 

 in such a manner as to be exposed to the most healthful winds, and to enjoy the sun in 

 winter and the shade in summer. An east exposure, he thinks, is the best for this pur- 

 pose, | Var. de R. R., lib- i- cap. 1--) Palladius proposes that, for the same purpose, the 



villa' shall front the BOUth-east ; that the pratorium, or master's house, shall be a little 

 higher than the rest of tlie villa, both lo BeCUK the foundations, and to have a more agreeable 

 prospect. (/'..</., lib- i- lit- v - 1' is probable thai both these authors have Italy particu- 

 cularly in view. But Pliny extends his views further ; for he says, that the villa in warm 

 climates ought to front the north, in eold climates the south, and in temperate cli- 

 mates the east, (l'lin. Nat. Hist., lib. iviii. cap. 7.) Columella is more particular than 

 any of the other authors, both in giving directions as to the situation of the villa, and 

 giving reasons for the situation he recommends. ((V., lib. i. cap. 5.) 



81. The villa is divided in parts, tin- urbana, the rustica, and the Jructttmia, 

 All the particulars of these, Columella says, ought to be properly placed with respect to 

 each Other. The urbnna contained the apartments of the landlord ; the rustica con- 

 tained the kitchen, the houses of the labouring servants, the stables, piggeries, and poultry 

 houses, ponds for water, dunghills, on which, says Varro, some persons place necessary 

 conveniences for the family. (§ xii.) Adjoining the villa rustica, in the residence of 

 opulent Romans, were placed the aviary, apiary, a place for dormice, a warren for hares 

 and rabbits, a place for snails, and a large enclosure or park of fifty acres or more for 

 retaining live deer and wild beasts taken in the chase. The frucluaria contained the oil 

 and wine cellars, the places for the oil and wine presses, the corn-yards, barns, granaries, 

 store-houses, repositories for roots and fruits, &c. 



82. Both Columella and Palladius give directions how all these parts should be situated 

 a>i<l constructed; but, though minute, they are not so explicit as to enable any one to 

 delineate their ground plan. The same may be said as to the directions given by thi 

 author, and by Pliny (Nat. Hist., Mb. xviii.), respecting the laying out of the villa 

 urbana, and the apartments for summer and winter. The subject of designing villas 

 for the opulent belongs no doubt more to architecture than to agriculture ; and therefore 

 we shall refer, for details, to the plans given by Castel [fig. 10.) and other modern authors, 

 who have attempted to embody the descriptions of the ancient writers. 



83. CasteCs general arrangement if a grand Roman rd/a and its environs, is as 

 follows : — 



1 Pnetorium. 11 , Omithon of Varro. 80, MH1 drirai by water. 



2, Farm-house ana offices. 1 '-. Vivarium, or park for wild leasts. 21, Temple ot « eras. 



5. Cam , parting the farm from the 1", Small wood> inlands for peacocks. 2i, Corn-fields. 



nratiorium. 14, Placefiir turkeys (!! ),rather swans, 23, Vineyards. 



4, Stone-banks to the canal. and rheir keepers: turkeys being 24, Olive grounds. 



5 Bridges, natives of Amcrici, and conse- 2s, .Meadows. 



fij m„ quently unknown to the Romans. 26, Orchard. 



7, River Vinlus. 15, For geese and their keeper. 27, Garden. 



8, Part of the island surrounded !>y 16, Cochlearium. 28, overground. 



that I 17, Dormice. 29, v\ oods, 5tc. 



9, The other river. 18, Apiary. 30, Coppices. 

 10, Walk on the hank of that river. 19, Threshing floor and barn. 



84. It is remarkable that no directions are given as to the materials of which the villa 

 should be built. These would, in all probability, depend on local circumstances; rammed 

 earth, timber, brick burned or only dried in the sun, or stone, would be taken according 

 to convenience. The remains of villas which have reached modern times, are chiefly 

 of brick stuccoed over. Pliny mentions walls in Africa and Spain, called formacii, the 

 formation of which, by cramming the earth between two boards, exactly agrees with the 

 French mode of building mud walls, called en pise. He also mentions walls of unburnt 

 brick, of mud, of turf, and frames filled up with bricks and mud. {Nat. Hist., lib. xxxv. 

 cap. 14.) 



Subsect. 2. Of the Servants employed in Roman Agriculture. 



85. The servants employed in Roman agriculture were of two sorts, freemen and slaves. 

 When the proprietor or fanner lived on the farm and directed its culture, these were 

 directly under his management; in other cases there was a bailiff or overseer, to whom 

 all the other servants were subordinate. This was the case so early as Cato's time, who 

 is very particular in bis directions respecting the care a bailifT ought to take of the 

 servants, the cattle, the labouring utensils, and in executing his master's orders. 



86. The bailiff was generally a person who had received some education, and could 

 write and keep accounts ; and it was expected that he should be careful, apt to learn, 

 and capable to execute his master's orders with a proper attention to situations and 

 circumstances. Columella, however, says that " the bailiff may do his business very well, 

 though lie is illiterate." Cornelius Cel'sus says that " such a bailiff will bring money to 

 his master oftcner than his book ; because, being ignorant of letters, he is the less capable 

 to contrive accounts, and is afraid to trust another, being conscious of fraud." (Col., lib. i. 

 cap. 8.) There arc some other tilings mentioned by this author, with respect to the 

 bailiff, that are very proper, and show particularly the attention of the Romans. ' He 



