16 



TRANSACTIONS, 



old woman on tlie other." Not a very " stroug team/' one 

 would suppose, for a modern subsoil plow. 



Special attention was paid to the planting of trees to pro- 

 tect cultivated fields from high winds and storms, a practice 

 much needed with us, since the indiscriminate destruction of 

 forest trees in New England. "Men should plant while 

 young," says Pliny, " and not build till their fields are plant- 

 ed, and even then they should take time to consider and not 

 be in too great haste. It is best, as the proverb says, to pro- 

 fit by the folly of others." This advice should lead us, at 

 least, to give more attention to the planting of orchards and 

 fruit trees. 



Great attention was paid to the breeding of fine stock, par- 

 ticularly oxen, horses, sheep and goats, though their scale of 

 points would seem to be open to many objections from the 

 modern breeder, for Palladius says that " bulls should be tall, 

 with very large limbs, of a medium age, rather young than 

 old, of a stern look, small horns, a brawny and huge neck and 

 a confined belly." The points which Columella gives for 

 cows, however, show much careful and discriminating obser- 

 vation and judgment, for he says, they should be of '-a tall 

 make, long with very large belly, very broad head, eyes black 

 and open, horns graceful, smooth and black, hairy ears, 

 straight jaws, very large dewlap and tail, and moderate hoofs 

 and legs." 



Columella prescribes a peculiar and curious treatment of 

 oxen in the following words : " After oxen get through plow- 

 ing and come home heated and tired, they must have a little 

 wine poured down their throats, and, after being fed a little, 

 led out to drink, and if they will not drink, the* boy must 

 whistle to make them." 



Virgil says the breeders of horses and oxen should pay 

 special attention to the build of the female, and that she 

 should be large in all her parts. In selecting oxen for work, 

 Varro says they should have " spacious horns, rather black 

 than otherwise, a broad forehead, wide nostrils, a broad chest 

 and thick dewlap." 



