BOOK V. VII. 4-viii. 3 



kinds of other trees, produces a greater abundance 

 of fruit the deeper the ground is ploughed and dug 

 round it ; whether it pays the owner of the property 

 to make it is shown by the profit which it returns. 



VIII. The cultivation of any kind of tree is simpler The various 

 than that of the vine, and the olive-tree, the queen oiirc-trees. 

 of all trees, requires the least expenditure of all. 

 For, although it does not bear fruit year after year 2 

 but generally in alternate years, it is held in very 

 high esteem because it is maintained by very light 

 cultivation and, when it is not covered with fruit, it 

 calls for scarcely any expenditure ; also, if anything 

 is expended upon it, it promptly multiplies its crop 

 of fruit. If it is neglected for several years, it does 

 not deteriorate like the vine, but even during this 

 period it nevertheless yields something to the owner 

 of the property and, when cultivation is again applied 

 to it, it recovers in a single year. We have, there- 3 

 fore, besides others thought it well to give careful 

 instructions about this kind of tree. 



I fancy that there are as many kinds of olive-trees 

 as of vines, but ten in all have come under my notice : " 

 the Posia,*" the Licinian, the Sergian, the Nevian," 

 the Culminian,'* the Orchis,^ the Royal, the Shuttle,/ 



* Posia, or as it is sometimes spelt Pavsia is called by Vergil 

 {Georg. II. 86) anmra pavsia bacca : the derivation of the word 

 is unknown. 



" The Licinian, Sergian and Nevian olive-trees were called 

 after the names of those who introduced them into Italy. 



■* The origin of this name is unknown : it is mentioned by 

 Varro, BR.. I. 21. 1 and Pliny, N.H. XV. § 13. 



« The Greek opx'S = Latin testictilus, and indicates the shape 

 of the fruit. 



^ Also called maiorina from its great size (Pliny, N.H. XV. § 

 15). Gesner {Index,s.v.RADIOLV S and Vol. II. p. 1223) identi- 

 fies Cercitisy/iih. Radius (below). Both words mean "shuttle". 



71 



