68 VARRO ON FARMING [bk. 



sunniest situation for wine growing should be kept 

 for the small Aminean variety, the double Eugenean, 

 and the small yellow grape. When the land is 

 heavy or cold the larger Aminean, Murgentine, 

 Apician, or Lucanian should be planted. The other 

 kinds, and especially the common ' black grape, suit 

 any sort of land. 



CHAPTER XXVI 



OF VINEYARDS 



In every vineyard great care is taken that the sup- 

 ports of the vines be protected towards the north, 

 and if live cypresses are planted to serve as vine- 

 props in alternate rows with the vines, they are not 

 allowed to grow higher than ordinary supports, nor 

 are the vines planted close to them, for vine and 

 cypress hate each other.' 



^ Miscellas. Cf. Hesychius : McV/ctXXog' tvTfkr\Q xai fiiXag 

 divoQ. 



"^ Et si cupressos. It is strange that live cypresses should 

 be used as supports for vines when there is an antipathy 

 between the two plants. Perhaps Varro's statement ends 

 with patiantur (or patiuntur), and a grammaticus ^ remember- 

 ing the passage of Varro (i, i6, 6), where the violent dislike 

 of the vine for cabbage {plus) is mentioned, added, as a note, 

 neque propter olus, etc. , which became neque propter eos^ etc. 



It is strange also that no other ancient v/riter has mentioned 

 the use of live cypresses as supports, though Columella (iv, 

 26, i) speaks of the tapering prop made of laurel, juniper, 

 or cypress. 



