234 VARRO ON FARMING [bk. 



not deny, I remarked, that this was the reason why 

 the fig tree was planted by the shepherds near the 

 chapel of the goddess Rumina, for the sacrifices 

 offered now are milk instead of wine and sucking- 

 pigs. For rumis^ is an ancient word meaning 

 *' breast," and we still speak of sucking lambs as 

 subrumi^ just as we use the term lactantes (suck- 

 lings) from lac (milk). 



6 For sprinkling over cheese rock-salt is bett( 

 than sea-salt. 



In sheep-shearing I first notice, before setting 

 work, whether they suffer from scab or ulcers, 

 that, if necessary, they may receive proper treat 

 ment before being shorn. The time for shee] 

 shearing is between the vernal equinox and the 

 summer solstice, when the sheep have begun to 

 sweat. From the word sudor (sweat) fresh-clipped 



7 wool is called sucida (juicy). Sheep newly shorn 

 are smeared the same day with wine and oil, but 

 some people use a mixture of white wax and bacon 

 fat, and if the sheep is used to wearing a jacket^ 

 they put on again the skin with which it was for- 

 merly covered, after smearing the inner side of it 

 with the same mixture. If in the course of shearing 

 a sheep has been wounded, one anoints the place 

 with liquid pitch. ^ Sheep with coarse wool are 



common term being ottoq. But there is perhaps no difference 

 in meaning." 



^ Rumis. Cf. note to ii, i, 20. 



^ Cf. the oves pellitas of ii, 2, 20. 



^ Pice liquida. Hot pitch was also used for branding the 



