452 
pliny's KATUEAL HISTOET. [Book XVII, 
on land newly cleared/^ when an ancient forest has been just 
cut down ; its excellence is a thing that is universally admitted. 
For the culture of the cereals, too, the same land is gene- 
rally looked upon as the more improved the oftener it has 
been allowed to rest^^ from cultivation, a thing that is not the 
case with vineyards : for which reason all the greater care is 
required in the selection of their site, if we would not have 
the opinions of those to appear well founded who entertain the 
notion that the soil of Italy is already worn out."^^ In other 
kinds of soil the work of cultivation depends entirely upon the 
weather ; as, for instance, in those which cannot be ploughed 
just after rain, because the natural exuberance of the earth 
renders it viscous and cloggy. On the other hand, in Byza- 
cium, a district of Africa, and a champaign country of such 
singular fertility as to render grain one hundred and fifty foldj^ 
the soil is such, that in time of drought, not even bulls are 
able to plough it; while, on another occasion, just after a shower 
of rain, one poor ass, with an old woman to guide it, is quite 
sufficient,*^^ as ourselves we have witnessed, to do the plough- 
ing. Eut as to amending one soil by the agency of another, 
as some persons recommend, by throwing rich earth over one 
that is poor and thin, or by laying a soaking light soil over 
one that is humid and unctuous, it is a labour of perfect 
madness.'^ "What can a man possibly hope for who cultivates 
such a soil as this ? 
CHAF 4. (6.) THE EIGHT KINDS OE EARTH BOASTED OE BY THE 
GAULS AND GEEEKS. 
There is another method, which has been invented both in 
68 The reason being, that in such cases the soil is saturated with thyme, 
origanum, mint, and other odoriferous herbs. 
69 This opinion is contrary to that expressed by Columella, B. ii. c. 1 ; 
but the justice of it is universally recognized. Upon this theory, too, is 
based the modern practice of alternating the crops in successive years, the 
necessity of providing for heavy rents, not allowing the land to enjoy ab- 
solute rest. 
'^^ This has not come to pass even yet, nearly two thousand years since 
the days of Pliny. "^^ See B. v. c. 3, and B. xviii. c. 21. 
'^2 Fee taxes our author here with exaggeration. Fov Byzacium, see B. 
V. c. 3, and B. xviii. c. 21. 
''^ Nevertheless, as Fee remarks, the method is often practised with 
great success. Pliny is at issue here with Theophrastus, De Causis, B. iii. 
c. 25. 
