I] INSTRUMENTS OF PRODUCTION 55 



For in agriculture nature has allowed us a two- 

 fold method, that of experiment and imitation. The 

 first farmers determined most questions by experi- 

 ment, their descendants, to a large extent, by 

 8 imitation. We should adopt both courses — some- 

 times imitating others, sometimes, as a change, 

 mating certain experiments of our own — experi- 

 mer.ts made not at haphazard, but in accordance 

 with some rational plan. For example, if we dig 

 our vineyards over again to a greater or less depth 

 thai others, what is the effect of such a proceed- 

 ing^ Thus did they who first hoed the land two or 

 three times, thus those who changed the time of 

 fig-crafting from spring-time to summer. 



CHAPTER XIX 



OF INSTRUMENTS OF PRODUCTION (SEMI-VOCAL) 



I \s for the remaining part of the farm's equipment 

 vhich I have spoken of as semi-vocal — Saserna 

 vrites that for 200 iugera of ploughland two 

 jokes of oxen are sufficient, whereas Cato states 

 tiat three oxen are required for every 240 iugera 

 flanted with olives ; whence it follows that if Saserna 

 E right, a yoke of oxen is needed for a hundred 

 ugera ; if Cato, one ' for each eighty. It is my 



' Trinos borves. This conflicts with the statement further 

 •n that if Cato is right a. yoke of oxen is required for eighty 

 I ugera. Gesner considers tririos hoves to mean three yokes of 



t 



