74 



THE GEITESEE FAEMER. 



the season. Viegil recommends plowing a fallow 

 for wheat twice in cold and four times in warm 

 weather. There was indeed no limit to the number 

 of plowings, lioeings, etc., the object being, accord- 

 ing to TuEOPiiRASTUS, "to let the earth feel the cold 

 of winter and the sun of summer, to invert the soil, 

 and render it free, light, and clean of weeds, so that 

 it can most easily atibrd nourishuTent." 



Sowing the Seed. — On wet soils, the seed was 

 deposited in ridges, the soil being thrown up either 

 witli a plow with two mold-boards, or by two turns 

 of one with a single mold-board, after the seed Jiad 

 'been scattered. Ou dry ground, on tlie contraiy, 

 the land was first ridged, and the seed then sown 

 in the intervening furrows. Modern seed-drills 

 were uid^nown, but this method of sowing in ridges 

 accomplished the same object, enabling the farmers 

 to hand-hoe their crops, which they did repeatedly. 

 The question of tliick and thin sowing was dis- 

 cussed by thi Romans as much as at the present 

 time. Columella seems to be in favor of thin 

 sowing in lic'i and loose soils, because the plants 

 tiller, and thus become more productive. From 

 two to two and a quarter bushels of seed wheat per 

 acre was about the average quantity sown. Less 

 was sown on light than on heavy soils. 



The selection of the finest and most healthy seeds 

 was a matter of much attention. Vakro afiirms 

 that wheat preserves its vitality for 50 years, millet 

 for 100 years, and beans for 120 years. 



Rotation of Chops appears to have been little 

 practiced — the land being renovated by means of 

 fallow — though Yirgil says "the land will rest 

 [that is, will remain in as good condition as if it 

 had been fallowed,] by a change of crop." 



The Roman writers are almost unanimous in 

 reconnnending to cut wheat before the grain is 

 fully ripe, and Columella declares that it will 

 ripen after it is cut. Pliny observes that wheat 

 cut when fully ripe gives the greatest quantity of 

 flour, but that reaped early has a finer and plumper 

 berry. It was a maxim, "better to reap two days 

 too soon than two days too late." 



ITorscs were seldom if ever used in cultivating 

 the soil, oxen being employed for this purpose. 

 Much attention was given to breeding and training 

 them, an<l they appear to have been treated with 

 great kindness. In breeding, the form of the cow 

 was CDiisidered of more importance than that of the 

 bull. The cows which Columella most approved 

 were of "a tall make, long, with very large belly, 

 very broad head, eyes black and open, horns grace- 

 ful, smooth, and black, hairy ears, straight jaws, 

 very large dewlap and tai], and moderate hoofs and 

 legs." The bulls, Palladius says, "should be tall, 



with huge members; of a middle age, rather young 

 than old; of a stern countenance; small horns, a 

 brawny and vast neck, and a confined belly." 



"To break bullocks," .says Vakko, "put their 

 uecks between forked stakes ; set np one for each 

 bullock, and give them meat from the hand ; they 

 will become tractable in a few days. Then, in 

 order that by degrees they may become accustomed 

 to the yoke, let an unbroken one be joined with a 

 veteran, whom he will imitate; then let them go 

 upon even ground without a plow, then yoked to a 

 light plow in sandy soil." 



"Calves," saj's Virgil, "which yon intend for 

 country labor, should be instructed while their 

 youtliful minds are tractable, and their age man- 

 ageable. First bend round their necks wide wreaths 

 of tender twigs ; then, when their free necks have 

 become accustomed to servitude, put real collars 

 upon them, join bullocks of equal strength, and 

 make them step together. At first, let them fi-e- 

 quently be employed in drawing along the ground 

 wheels without any carriage upon them, so that 

 they may print their steps oidy upon the top of the 

 dust. Afterward, let the beechen axle groan under 

 the heavy load, and the pole draw the wheels joined 

 to the weighty carriage." 



"The plowman," says Columella, "when he 

 has unyoked his oxen, must rub them after they 

 are tied uj), press their backs with his hands, p\dl 

 up their hides, and not sutfer them to stick to their 

 bodies, for this is a disease that is very destructive 

 to working cattle. No food must be given them 

 till they luive ceased from sweating and high breath- 

 ing, and then by degrees, in portions as eaten ; and 

 afterwards they are to be led to tlie water, and en- 

 couraged by whistling." Encouraging the horse to 

 drink, etc., by wliistling, is still a common practice 

 in many parts of England. How few know that it 

 was recommended by a learned author nearly 2000 



years ago 



LEGUMINOUS PLANTS -SAINFOIN. 



The fact that wheat, and probably other plants 

 of the order Ceralia, when allowed to go to seed, 

 require more ammonia for their growth than the 

 crop contains when grown, while beans, peas, tares, 

 and clover — all leguminous jilants — though they 

 contain a mucli greater quantity of nitrogen (am- 

 monia) than the cereals, are less dependent on a 

 supply of ammonia in the soil, indicates that legu- 

 minous plants deserve much more attention from 

 American farmers than they have yet received. 



Sainfoin is a leguminous plant possessing many 

 qualities which render it worthy of cultivation on 



