BOOK XVII. xLv. 257-.\Lvii. 260 



trees should be trimmed less frequently, and none in 

 autumn ; and they must not even have their trunks 

 scraped except in spring. Pruning must not be 

 assault and batterv : every part of the tree that is 

 not actually superfluous is conducive to its vitality. 



XLVI. A similar method belongs to dung. carein 

 Trees deHght in it, but care must be taken not to "'""""«i'- 

 apply it while the sun is hot, or while it is too fresli, 

 or stronger than is necessary. Swine dung burns the 

 vines unless used at intervals of five years, except if 

 it is dihited by being drenched with water ; and so will 

 manure made from tanners' refuse unless water is 

 mixed with it, and also if it is used too plentifully : 

 the proper amount is considered to be three modii 

 for every ten square feet. Anyhow that will be 

 decided by the nature of the soil. 



XLVII. Pigeon and swine manure are also used ManuHng 

 for dressing wounds in trees. If pomegranates pro- a!,[iuTUte. 

 duce sour fruit, it is advised to dig round the roots and 

 apply swine's dung ; then in that year the fruit will 

 have a flavour of wine, but next year it will be sweet. 

 Others are of opinion that pomegranates should be 

 watered four times a year with human urine mixed 

 with water, an amphoru to each tree, or that the ends 

 of the branches should be spriiikled with silpliium 

 diluted with wine ; and that if the fruit spUts on the 

 tree, its stalk should be twisted ; and that figs in any 

 case should have dregs of olivc oil poured on them, 

 and other trees when ailing wine-lees, or else lupines 

 should be sown round their roots. It is also good 

 for the fruit to pour round the tree water in which 

 lupines have been boiled. Figs are liable to fall oflp 

 when it thunders at the Feast of Vulcan" ; a remedy 

 is to have the ground round the trees covered with 



179 



