Chap. XIII. 0/ Luserne, 211 



Columella faith in Lib. ii. Cap. \ i. Cum fecueris autem, 

 fepius eamrigato. But had it been cultivated by the 

 hoeing Method, the Tap-roots would have defce:;ded 

 as deep as a Well, and, from the Springs below, 

 have fent up Water to the Plants, befides what the 

 Hoe would have caufed the horizontal Roots to re- 

 ceive from Dews at the Surface above. At how much 

 a cheaper Rate Water is fupply'd by thefe Means, 

 than by carrying it perhaps a great Way, and then 

 fprinkling it by Hand ever the Beds, which were 

 made Ten feet w T ide between Path and Path for that 

 Purpofe, let any one judge; as alfo what a labori- 

 ous Tafk it was to pick out the Grafs with Fingers 

 from amongft it, in the hard dry Ground in the Sum*, 

 mer, after mowing the Crop, as Columella directs in 

 hisforemention'd Chapter, which the Horfe4ioe would 

 have done with Eafe, at a Twentieth Part of that 

 Expence. However, fince they faw the Medica was 

 as impatient of Grafs as the Vineyards were, 'tis a 

 Wonder they did not give it the fame Culture with 

 the Bidens, which would have been much better and 

 cheaper, than to cleanfe the Medica with Fingers. 

 Indeed Fingers were made before the Bidens ; but 

 fare the Effect of its Ufe in raifing Juices to the 

 Vine, had infpired the Romans with more judicious 

 Speculations, than to give that for a Reafon why they 

 ho'd the Medica with their Fingers, rather than with 

 the Bidens. 



Oh ! But this was made with Iron, and Medica 

 had, in thofe Times, an Antipathy to Iron; and. 

 after it was fown, the Place mult not be touch'd by 

 that Metal ; therefore the Seed mud not be cover 5 d 

 with a Plough, nor with Iron Harrows. But if they 

 had made Trials enough, to know that half an Inch 

 was a proper Depth to cover this Seed at, thefe Vir- 

 tuofi would have been convine'd, that it had no lefs 

 Antipathy to thefe Inftruments, of what Matter fo- 

 ever they were made, if they bury'd it Five or Six 



P 2 Inches 



