BOOK III. II. 13-16 



a vine of first rank in the appearance of leafy shoots 

 and stock, but somewhat inferior in the flavour of its 

 wine ; though even so it ranks next to the most 

 outstanding varieties and is even to be preferred 

 for quaUties of its own. For it is n:iore fruitful, it is 

 better in casting its flowers, it bears compact light- 

 coloured clusters of plumper grapes, it does not 

 degenerate in poor land, and consequently it is 

 counted among the most profitable \'ines. The 14 

 Nomentan vines " follow close after the Amineans 

 in excellence of wine, but in productivity they even 

 take the lead ; and naturally so, since they are often 

 loaded full and keep exceedingly well what they 

 have produced. But of these, too, the smaller is 

 the more prolific ; its leaf is not so deeply cleft, 

 and its wood is not so red as that of the larger 

 variety — from which colour the vines are called 

 ruhdlanae. These vines are also called faeciniae 

 from the fact that they make more dregs {faeces) 

 than other varieties. Still they make up for this 15 

 disadvantage in the gi'eater number of their clusters, 

 which they produce even on a trellis but better on 

 a tree. They endure ^vinds and rains valiantly, drop 

 their flowers early, and therefore ripen sooner. 

 They bear up under every adversity except that of 

 heat ; for, having small-berried and tough-skinned 

 clusters, they shrivel in high temperatures. They 

 delight most of all in rich land, which can add some 

 fullness to clusters that are naturally scanty and 

 small. The Eugenians endure a cold, dewy ground 16 

 and climate very well as long as they remain on the 

 Alban hills ; for in a changed situation they hardly 



" From Xomeiitum, an ancient Sabiue town, now Men- 

 tana; c/. Pliny, A\H. XIV. 23. 



241 



