BOOK XVII. XLVH. 263-266 



measure of olive-lees and water in equal amounts, and 

 his instructions are first to dig round the roots and 

 then to pour the Uquid on them gradually. In the 

 case of an olive it sliould be used more copiously, 

 straw having first been put round the stem, and the 

 same with a fig ; with a fig, especially in spring, earth 

 should be heaped up round the i'oots, and this will 

 ensure that the unripc fruit will not fall ofFand the tree 

 will bear a larger crop and will not develop roughness 

 of the bark. In a similar manner to prevent a vine 

 from breeding leaf-roUing caterpillar he advises boiling 

 down two gallons of lees of oli\ e-oil to the thick- 

 ness of honey, and boiUng it again mixed with a third 

 part of bitumen and a fourth part of sulphur, this 

 second boiUng being done in the open air. because 

 the mixture may catch fire indoors ; and he says 

 this preparation is to be smeared round the bases 

 and under the arms of the vines, and that will prevent 

 caterpillar. Some growcrs are content with sub- 

 mitting the vines for thrce days on end to the smoke 

 from this concoction boiled to the windward of them. 

 Most people think there is as much food value for 

 the plants in urinc as Cato assigns to wine-lees, 

 provided it is mixed with an equal (juantity of water, 

 because it is injurious if used by itself. Some give 

 the name of the ' fly ' to a creature that gnaws away 

 the young grapes ; to prevent tliis they wipe the 

 pruning-knives on a beaver skin after they have been 

 sharpened and then use them for pruning, or smear 

 them with bear's blood after pruning. Ants also are 

 pests to trees ; these are kept away by smearing 

 the trunks with a mixture of red earth and tar, and 

 also people get the ants to coUect in one place by 

 hanging up a fish close by, or thoy smear the roots 



183 



