396 AGRICULTURE. 



the change of soil and climate often disagrees with those brought 

 from a distance. 



The horse was scarcely, if at all, used in Roman agriculture, 

 but was reared for the saddle and the army by some farmers. 

 Varro and Columella are particular in their directions as to the 

 choice of mares, and breeding and rearing their young ; but as 

 these contain nothing very remarkable, we shall merely say that 

 the signs of future merit in a colt were said to be a small head, 

 well-formed limbs, and contending with other colts or horses for 

 superiority in running, or in any other thing. 



The dog is a valuable animal in every unenclosed country, and 

 was kept by the Roman farmers for its use in assisting the shep- 

 herds, and also for watching. Varro mentions two kinds : one 

 for hunting, which belongs to fierce and savage beasts ; and one 

 for the shepherd and the watch-box. The latter are not to be 

 bought from hunters or butchers, because they are either lazy, 

 or will follow a stag rather than a sheep. The best color is 

 white, because it is most discernible in the dark. They must 

 be fed in the kitchen, with bread and milk, or broth with bruised 

 bones, but never with animal food, and never allowed to suffer 

 from hunger, lest they attack the flock. That they may not be 

 wounded by other beasts, they wear a collar made of strong 

 leather set with nails, the inward extremities of which are cov- 

 ered with soft leather, that the hardness of the iron may not hurt 

 their necks. If a wolf or any other beast is wounded by these, 

 it makes other dogs that have not the collar remain secure. 



The Romans used a great many instruments in their culture 

 and farm management, but their particular forms and uses are 

 so imperfectly described that very little is known concerning 

 them. The plow, the most important instrument in agriculture, 

 is mentioned by Cato as of two kinds, one for strong, and the 

 other for light soils. Varro mentions one with two mould- 

 boards, with which, he says, " when they plow, after sowing the 

 seed, they are said to ridge." Pliny mentions a plow with one 

 mould-board, for the same purpose, and others with a coulter, of 

 which he says there are many kinds. It is probable that the 

 ancients had many kinds of plows, though not so scientifically 

 constructed as those of modern times. They had plows with 

 mould-boards and without mould-boards ; with and without 



