i8 VARRO ON FARMING [bk. 



instance, if a piece of land borders on a highway, 

 and the spot suits travellers, it is advisable to build 

 inns, though they, however profitable, do not any 

 the more belong to agriculture. For all produce 

 that an owner gets directly or indirectly from his 

 land, ought not to be credited to agriculture, but 

 only such things as have grown from the ground 

 for human consumption after having been sown. 



24 Then Stolo took him up, saying: You are jeal- 

 ous of the illustrious author, and your criticism 

 of his potteries is mere carping, while you say 

 nothing about many excellent passages, for fear of 

 having to praise them, though they are closely con- 



25 nected with agriculture. Scrofa smiled, for he 

 knew the books and thought little of them. Agra- 

 sius, thinking himself to be the only one who knew 

 them, asked Scrofa to mention the passages. So 

 Scrofa began, It describes in these words how 

 bugs should be destroyed: '^ Put a wild cucumber 

 in water, pour the water where you want the result, 

 no bugs will come near. Or, take ox-gall mixed 



26 with vinegar; smear your bed with it." Fundanius 

 looked towards Scrofa and said: And yet he 

 speaks the truth, though the statement does occur 

 in a treatise on agriculture. It is as true, I war- 

 rant, said Scrofa, as his recipe for a depilatory 

 — he bids you throw a yellow frog into water, 

 which you are to boil until two-thirds are gone, 

 and to anoint your body with what remains. You 

 had better quote, said I, from that book what 

 more nearly concerns Fundanius's health, for our 



