BOOK II. n. 26-111. 3 



whip. He should not stop in the middle of the 27 

 furrow, but should allow a rest at the end of it, so that 

 the ox will exert himself more energetically the 

 whole way in the hope of stopping. But to run a 

 furrow more than one hundred and twenty feet in 

 length is injurious to a beast, for he is wearied more 

 than is right when he goes beyond this limit. When 28 

 the turning-point is reached, the ploughman 

 should push the yoke forward and hold the oxen back, 

 to allow their necks to cool off; for these quickly be- 

 come inflamed if they are constantly bound, and as a 

 result there arises a swelling and then running sores. 

 And the ploughman should use the mattock no less 

 than the ploughshare, and should dig up and hunt 

 out all the broken stumps and surface roots with 

 which a field is infested when it is planted with trees 

 for supporting vines. 



III. When the ploughman has unyoked his oxen 

 after work, he should rub the lower parts that were 

 bound," knead the upper part* v,i.th his hands, and 

 pull up the skin and not allow it to cling to the 

 body ; for this, too, is a kind of ailment very in- 

 jurious to cattle.*^ He should rub down their necks 2 

 and pour unmixed wine down their throats if they are 

 heated ; and it is enough to give a pint of wine to each. 

 But it is not proper for oxen to be tied to their cribs 

 before they have stopped sweating and panting. 

 Then, when they are in proper condition for feeding, 

 it is best not to give them much feed, and not the 

 whole amount at once, but to portion it out, a little 

 at a time. When they have consumed this, they 



* Lit., the back (of the neck), pressed by the bar of the yoke. 

 ' An affliction called coriago, " hidebound." Cf. VI. 13. 2- 

 3, and Vegetius, Vet. IV. 12. 1, for causes and treatment. 



127 



VOL. 1. y 



