BOOK II. X. 12-16 



without the aid of wind, as follows: Have a moderate 13 

 number of loose sheaves brought together at one end 

 of the threshing-floor, and let three or four men push 

 them along with their feet through the middle of the 

 floor the longest way, and beat them with sticks or 

 forks ; then, when they reach the other end of the 

 floor, let them throw the stalks again into a pile. 

 For the seeds that have been beaten out will lie on 14 

 the floor, and the other bundles will be threshed out 

 on top of them, little by little, in the same manner. 

 For the hardest chaff Avill be knocked off and 

 separated by the beaters, but the fine chaff which 

 has fallen from the pods along with the beans will 

 be separated in another way : that is, when the mix- 

 ture of chaff and seeds has been heaped together in 

 one pile, let it be tossed some distance away, a little 

 at a time, by winnowing-fans ; and by this means the 

 chaff, being lighter, will fall short, and the beans, 

 which are thrown farther, will come clean to the spot 

 where the Avinnower throws them. 



The lentil is properly sown only from the time of 15 

 the half-moon up to her twelfth day, in ground that 

 is lean and loose, or fat, but above all in a place that 

 is dry ; for when in flower it is easily damaged 

 by rankness and moisture. To make it come out 

 quickly and make a good growth, it should be mixed 

 with dried manure before sowing, and then broadcast 

 after it has remained thus for four or five days. Our 

 practice is to make two sowings, the early one in the 

 middle of seedtime, and the later in the month of 

 February. A little more than one modius covers a 16 



^^ quattuor vel quatuor vel IIII R plerique : quatuor Aid., 

 Oesn. 



165 



