BOOK III. X. 5-7 



it makes very little difference how many clusters a 

 branch may have borne, if only it is taken from a 

 fruitful vine and is not one that sprouted from the 

 hard wood of the stock, — what they call pampi- 

 narium.'^ 



This notion, however, arising from ignorance in the 6 

 matter of selecting cuttings, causes vineyards to 

 have, first, too little fruitfulness, and then too 

 much barrenness. For who, indeed, over what is 

 now a long span of years, has laid down for the 

 farmer, as he was selecting his cuttings, these precepts 

 which we have just now set forth? More than that, 

 who does not assign to this occupation whoever is 

 least intelUgent, and one who is not strong enough 

 to perform any other task? As a result of this 

 practice the men who are most lacking in intelligence 

 enter into an occupation that is especially indis- 

 pensable, and also those most lacking in strength ; 

 for, as I have said, it is the least useful fellow, one 

 who can do no other work, who is put to this task.* 

 Such a person, moreover, even if he has some know- 7 

 ledge of the selection of shoots, conceals that know- 

 ledge and lays it aside because of his lack of strength ; 

 and that he may have the full number which the over- 

 seer has ordered, he does nothing carefully, nothing 

 conscientiously. The one tiling that he keeps before 

 him is to get done with the task that is set ; when, 

 even though he may both know and carry out what 

 he knows, he receives from his masters one precept 



" A leaf-branch, or stock-branch. Cf. V. 6. 29 ; and Pliny, 

 N .H. XVII. 181, Sic duo genera palmitum : quod e duro exit 

 materiamque in proximum annum, promittit, paTupinarium 

 vacatur aut, ubi supra cicatricem est, fructuarium ; alterum 

 ex anniculo palmite semper fructuarium. 



* Cf. l.Praef. 12; 1.9. 4-5. 



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