BOOK II. X. 29-33 



species especially does not like dew at the time of 

 sowing. For this reason it must be broadcast after 30 

 the second or third hour of the day, when all 

 moisture has been dried up by sun or wind, and no 

 more should be scattered than can be covered in the 

 same day ; for, if night comes on before it is covered, 

 the least moisture spoils it. Care must be taken 

 not to put it in the ground before the twenty-fifth day 

 of the moon ; otherwise we usually find that the slug 

 damages the crop. 



Mixed forage " should be sown in land that is 31 

 worked every year, very heavily manured, and t\\ice 

 ploughed. It turns out best when sown with ten 

 modii of horse-barley to the iugerum about the 

 autumnal equinox ; but when rains are threatening, 

 so that, being watered by showers after sowing, it 

 may come up quickly and gather strength before the 

 severe weather of winter. For in cold weather, 

 when other forage has failed, this provides excellent 

 cut fodder for oxen and other animals ; and if you 

 care to graze it frequently, it holds out even up to the 

 month of May. If, however, you wish also to take 32 

 seed from it, cattle must be kept off after the first of 

 March, and it must be protected from every kind of 

 harm so as to be capable of bearing seed. The same 

 method is applied to oats : they are sovm in the 

 autumn; some are cut for hay or for fodder while 

 still green ; and some are set apart for seed. 



Fenugreek, which country people call siliqua,'' has 33 

 two seasons for sowing : one of them in the month of 

 September, when it is sovm for fodder, on the same 



* The texts of Pliny (N.H. XVIII. 140) read silicia, with 

 variants silica and sicilia. Pliny's siliqua is carob. 



177 



