HISTORY. 51 
soever grow fat with it because it is a remedy for sick cattle, 
and a jugerum of it is abundantly sufficient for three horses the 
whole year. It is sown as we shall hereafter direct. About the 
beginning of October cut up the field wherein you design to sow 
medic next spring and let it lie all winter to rot and grow crum- 
bly. Then about the first of February plow it carefully a second 
time and carry all the stones out of it, and break all clods. After 
about the month of March plow it the third time and harrow it. 
When you have thus manured the ground, make it in the manner 
of a garden, into beds and divisions ten feet broad and fifty feet 
long, so that it may be supplied by water with paths and there 
may be an open access for weeders on both sides. Then throw 
old dung upon it and sow in the latter end of April. Sow it in 
such a proportion that a cyathus of seed may take up a place 10 
feet long and 5 feet brcad. After you have done this, let the 
seeds that are thrown into the ground be presently covered with 
earth with wooden rakes. This is a very great advantage to them 
because they are very quickly burnt up with the sun. After 
sowing, the place ought not to be touched with an iron tool, but 
as I said it must be raked with wooden rakes, and weeded from 
time to time lest any other kind of herb destroy the f2eble medic. 
You must cut the first crop of it somewhat later, after it has put 
forth some of its seeds. Afterwards you are at liberty to cut it 
down as tender and as young as you please after it has sprung up 
and to give it to horses, but at first you must give it to them 
more sparingly until they be accustomed to it, lest the novelty 
of the fodder be hurtful to them, for it blows them and creates 
much blood. Water it very often after you have cut it. Then 
after a few days when it shall begin to sprout weed out of it all 
plants of a different kind. When cultivated in this manner it 
may be cut down six times in a year and it will last ten years. 
That instruction bears evidence of much famil- 
iarity with the alfalfa plant. It must not be cut too 
soon the first time, not till some seeds have formed. 
Tt is true here that young alfalfa is destroyed often- 
times if cut before the young shoots have put out 
at the base of the stems. Not having observed this 
perhaps the old alfalfa growers judged by the state 
of bloom or seeding when it should be cut. Note that 
Columella says ‘‘it dungs the land.’? Thus early 
they knew the practice of farming with legumes, 
