BOOK XVIII. .\.\xvi. 133-135 



to gather it immediately after rain. And of all crops 

 sown none has a more remarkable quaUty of sensitive- 

 ness to the heavenly bodies and the soil. In the first 

 place it turns round every day with the siui, and tells 

 the time to the husbandman even in cloudy weather. 

 Moreover it blossoms three timcs and buds tliree 

 times ; all the same, it does not Uke to be covered with 

 earth, and it is the only seed that is sown without 

 the ground being ploughed. It reqiiires most of aU 

 a graveUy and dry and even sandy soil, and in any 

 case needs no cuUivation. It has such a love for the 

 earth that when it faUs on soil however much over- 

 grown with briars it penetrates aniong leaves and 

 brambles and gets through with its root to the ground. 

 We have stated that fields and vineyards are em-iched xvii. 64. 

 by a crop of lupines ; and thus it has so Uttle need 

 for manure that it serves instead of manure of the 

 best quaUty, and there is no other crop that costs no 

 expenditure at aU — -sceing that it does not require 

 carrying to the spot even for the purpose of sowing : 

 it sows itself directly from the crop," and docs not even 

 need to be scattered, faUing on the ground of its own 

 accord. And it is the earUest of aU crops to be sown 

 and the latest to be carried, both operations gener- 

 aUy taking place in September, becausc if it does 

 not grow ahead of winter it is Uable to suffer from 

 frost. Moreover it can be left just lying on the 

 ground with impunity, as it is protected from aU 

 animals by its bitter flavoiu* if a faU of rain does not 

 occur immediately so as to cover it up ; aUhough never- 

 theless growers usuaUy cover it up in a Ught furrow. 

 Among thicker soUs it Ukes red earth best ; to enrich 

 this it must be turned up after the plant has blos- 

 somed three times, but when planted in gravel the 



275 



