XLI.
Quo tempore quaeque transferas, haec in primis videnda, quae prius verno tempore inserebantur, nunc etiam solstitiali, ut ficus, quod densa materia non est et ideo sequitur caldorem. A quo fit ut in locis frigidis ficeta fieri non possint. Aqua recenti insito inimica: tenellum enim cito facit putre. Itaque caniculae signo commodissime existimatur ea inseri. Quae autem natura minus sunt mollia, vas aliquod supra alligant, unde stillet lente aqua, ne prius exarescat surculus, quam colescat. Cuius surculi corticem integrum servandum et eum sic exacuendum, ut non denudes medullam. Ne extrinsecus imbres noceant aut nimius calor, argilla oblinendum ac libro obligandum. Itaque vitem triduo antequam inserant desecant, ut qui in ea nimius est umor defluat, antequam inseratur; aut in quam inserunt, in ea paulo infra, quam insitum est, incidunt, qua umor adventicius effluere possit. Contra in fico et malo punica, et siquae etiam horum natura aridiora, continuo. In aliis translationibus videndum ut quod transferat cacumen habeat gemmam, ut in ficis.
De his primis quattuor generibus seminum quaedam quod tardiora, surculis potius utendum, ut in ficetis faciunt. Fici enim semen naturale intus in ea fico, quam edimus, quae sunt minuta grana; e quibus parvis quod enasci coliculi vix queunt — omnia enim minuta et arida ad crescendum tarda, ea quae laxiora, et fecundiora, ut femina quam mas et pro portione in virgultis item; itaque ficus, malus punica et vitis propter femineam mollitiam ad crescendum prona, contra palma et cupressus et olea in crescendo tarda: in hoc enim umidiora quam aridiora — quare ex terra potius in seminariis surculos de ficeto quam grana de fico expedit obruere, praeter si aliter nequeas, ut siquando quis trans mare semina mittere aut inde petere vult. Tum enim resticulam per ficos, quas edimus, maturas perserunt et eas, cum inaruerunt, complicant ac quo volunt mittunt, ubi obrutae in seminario pariant. Sic genera ficorum, Chiae ac Chalcidicae et Lydiae et Africanae, item cetera transmarina in Italiam perlata. Simili de causa, oleae semen cum sit nuculeus, quod ex eo tardius enascebatur colis quam ex aliis, ideo potius in seminariis taleas, quas dixi, serimus.
[41.1] “As to the proper season for grafting, this must be especially observed: that some plants which formerly were grafted in spring are now grafted in mid-summer also, such as the fig, which, as the wood is not hard, requires warm weather; it is for this reason that fig groves cannot be planted in cold localities. Moisture is harmful to a fresh graft, for it causes the tender shoot to decay quickly, [2] and hence it is the common view that this tree is best grafted in the dog days. In the case of plants which are not so soft, however, a vessel is fastened above the graft in such a way that water may drip slowly to keep the shoot from drying out before it unites with the tree. The bark of the shoot must be kept uninjured, and the shoot itself be sharpened in such a way as not to bare the pith. To prevent moisture or excessive heat from injuring it on the surface its be smeared with clay and tied up with bark. [3] For this reason the vine is cut off three days before grafting, so that any excessive moisture in it may run out before it is grafted; or else a cut is made in the branch on which the graft is made a little lower than the graft, so as to allow casual water to run off. On the other hand, figs, pomegranates, and plants of a drier nature are grafted at once. In other graftings, such as of figs, care must be taken that the shoot contains a bud.
[4] “Of these four forms of propagation it is better to use quicksets in the case of some slow-growing plants, as is the practice in fig groves; for the natural seed of the fig is on the inside of the fruit which we eat, in the form of very small grains. As the seedling can scarcely spring from these small grains — for all things which are small and dry grow slowly, while those which are of looser texture are also of more rapid growth, as, for instance, the female grows more rapidly than the male, a rule which holds good also in plants to some extent, the fig, the pomegranate, and the vine being, on account of their feminine softness, of rapid growth, while, on the other hand, the palm, the cypress, and the olive are of slow growth; [5] for in this respect the humid [are quicker] than the dry — it is therefore better to plant in the nursery shoots from the fig tree than grains from the fruit; unless this is impracticable, as when you wish to ship seeds overseas or import them thence. In this case we pass a string through the figs when they are ripe for eating, and after they have dried they are tied in bundles and may be sent where we will; and there they are planted in a nursery and reproduce. [6] It was in this manner that the Chian, Chalcidian, Lydian, African, and other varieties of over-sea figs were imported into Italy. For a similar reason, the seed of the olive being a nut, we prefer to plant in our nurseries the cuttings which I have described, as the stem was found to spring more slowly from the olive nut than from others.
XLII.
In primis observes ne in terram nimium aridam aut variam, sed temperatam, semen demittas. In iugerum unum, si est natura temperata terra, scribunt opus esse medicae sesquimodium. Id seritur ita, ut semen iaciatur, quem ad modum cum pabulum et frumentum seritur.
[42.1] “Be especially careful not to plant in ground that is very dry or very wet, but rather in moderately moist ground. Authorities state that the proper amount of alfalfa is a modius and a half to the iugerum, if the ground is by nature moderately moist; the method of sowing is to broadcast the seed, as is done in sowing forage crops and grain.
XLIII.
Cytisum seritur in terra bene subacta tamquam semen brassicae. Inde differtur et in sesquipedem ponitur, aut etiam de cytiso duriore virgulae deplantantur, et ita pangitur in serendo.
[43.1] “Snail-clover is sowed on land that has been thoroughly worked, like cabbage seed; then it is transplanted at intervals of a foot and a half, or, when the plant is more mature, shoots are detached, and it is set out in planting as above.
XLIV.
Seruntur fabae modii IIII in iugero, tritici V, hordei VI, farris X, sed non nullis locis paulo amplius aut minus. Si enim locus crassus, plus; si macer, minus. Quare observabis, quantum in ea regione consuetudo erit serendi, ut tantum facias, quod tantum valet regio ac genus terrae, ut ex eodem semine aliubi cum decimo redeat, aliubi cum quinto decimo, ut in Etruria locis aliquot. In Italia in Subaritano dicunt etiam cum centesimo redire solitum, in Syria ad Gadara et in Africa ad Byzacium item ex modio nasci centum. Illut quoque multum interest, in rudi terra, an in ea seras, quae quotannis obsita sit, quae vocatur restibilis, an in vervacto quae interdum requierit. Cui Agrius, In Olynthia quotannis restibilia esse dicunt, sed ita ut tertio quoque anno uberiores ferant fructos. Licinius, Agrum alternis annis relinqui oportet paulo levioribus sationibus, id est quae minus sugunt terram.
Dicetur, inquit Agrius, de tertio gradu, de nutricationibus atque alimoniis eorum. Ille, Quae nata sunt, inquit, in fundo alescunt, adulta concipiunt, praegnatia, cum sunt matura, pariunt poma aut spicam, sic alia.A quo profectum, redit semen. Itaque si florem acerbumve pirum aliudve quid decerpseris, in eodem loco eodem anno nihil renascitur, quod praegnationis idem bis habere non potest. Ut enim mulieres habent ad partum dies certos, sic arbores ac fruges.
[44.1] “Beans are sowed 4 modii to the iugerum, wheat 5, barley 6, spelt 10, the amount being a little more or less in some localities; more being sowed on rich ground and less on thin. You should therefore note the amount that is usually sowed in the district and follow this practice; for the locality and the type of soil is so important that the same seed in one district yields tenfold and in another fifteen-fold — as at some places in Etruria. [2] Around Sybaris in Italy the normal yield is said to be even a hundred to one, and a like yield is reported near Gadara in Syria, and for the district of Byzacium in Africa. It also makes a great difference whether the planting is on virgin soil or on what is called restibilis — land cultivated every year — or on vervactum, which is allowed sometimes to lie fallow between crops.” [3] “In Olynthia,” remarked Agrius, “they say that the land is cropped every year, but in such a way that a richer crop is produced every other year.” “Land ought to be left every other year with somewhat lighter crops,” rejoined Licinius; “I mean by that crops which are
less exhausting to the land.”
“Tell us now,” said Agrius, “of the third step, the nurture and feeding of the plant.” [4] “All plants,” resumed Stolo, “grow in the soil, and when mature conceive, and when the time of gestation is complete bear fruit or ear, or the like; and the seed returns whence it came. Thus, if you pluck the blossom or an unripe pear, or the like, no second one will grown on the same spot in the same year, as the same plant cannot have two periods of gestation. For trees and plants, just as women, have a definite period from conception to birth.
XLV.
Primum plerumque e terra exit hordeum diebus VII, nec multo post triticum; legumina fere quadriduo aut quinque diebus, praeterquam faba: ea enim serius aliquanto prodit. Item milium et sesima et cetera similiter aequis fere diebus, praeterquam siquid regio aut tempestas viti attulit, quo minus ita fiat. Quae in seminario nata, si loca erunt frigidiora, quae molli natura sunt, per brumalia tempora tegere oportet fronde aut stramentis. Si erunt imbres secuti, videndum necubi aqua consistat; venenum enim gelum radicibus tenellis. Sub terra et supra virgulta non eodem tempore aeque crescunt; nam radices autumno aut hieme magis sub terra quam supra alescunt, quod tectae terrae tepore propagantur, supra terram aere frigidiore coguntur. Itaque ita esse docent silvestria, ad quae sator non accessit. Nam prius radices, quam ex iis quod solet nasci, crescunt. Neque radices longius procedunt, nisi quo tepor venit solis. Duplex causa radicium, quod et materiem aliam quam aliam longius proicit natura, et quod alia terra alia facilius viam dat.
[45.1] “Barley usually appears in seven days, wheat not much later; legumes usually in four or five days, except the bean, which is somewhat slower in appearing. Millet also, and sesame, and similar plants appear in about the same number of days, except in cases where the locality or the weather prevents this from occurring. [2] Seedlings in the nursery should be covered with leaves or straw during the winter if the locality is at all cold, as they are tender; and if rains follow, water must not be allowed to stand anywhere, for frost is baneful to the tender rootlets. [3] Plants do not grow at the same rate below and above ground; thus roots grow faster below than does the part above ground in autumn and in winter because, being covered, they are nourished by the heat of the earth, while the part above ground is checked by the colder air. Wild plants which have not been touched by the planter show that this is true; for roots grow before the plant which comes from them, but they go no deeper than the point to which the sun’s warmth reaches. The growth of roots is determined by two factors: that nature thrusts one kind of wood to a greater distance than another; and that one kind of soil yields more readily than another.
XLVI.
Propter cuius modi res admiranda discrimina sunt naturae aliquot, ex quibusdam foliis propter eorum versuram, quod sit anni tempus, ut dici possit, ut olea et populus alba et salix. Horum enim folia cum converterunt se, solstitium dicitur fuisse. Nec minus admirandum quod fit in floribus, quos vocant heliotropia ab eo, quod ad solis ortum mane spectant et eius iter ita secuntur ad occasum, ut ad eum semper spectent.
[46.1] “As a result of factors of this kind there are several remarkable differences of character; so that, for instance, the season may be told from the leaves of such trees as the olive, the silver poplar, and the willow, by the direction in which they lie; thus when the leaves of these trees turn over it is said that the summer solstice has passed. No less remarkable is the behaviour of the flowers which are called ‘heliotropes’ from the fact that they face the rising sun in the morning and follow his course until the setting, facing him the whole time.
XLVII.
In seminario quae surculis consita et eorum molliora erunt natura cacumina, ut olea ac ficus, ea summa integenda binis tabellis dextra et sinistra deligatis herbaeque eligendae. Eae dum tenerae sunt, vellendae. Post enim aridae factae rixantur ac celerius rumpuntur, quam secuntur. Contra herba in pratis ad spem faenisiciae nata non modo non evellenda in nutricatu, sed etiam non calcanda. Quo et pecus ab prato ablegandum et omne iumentum, etiam hominem. Solum enim hominis exitium herbae et semitae fundamentum.
[47.1] “Plants such as the olive and fig, such, reared in the nursery from shoots and naturally somewhat delicate on top, should be protected at the top by two boards tied right and left; and the weeds should be cleared. These should be pulled while they are young; for after they become dry they resist more strongly, and break off more readily than they yield. On the other hand, growth that springs up on a meadow for haying must not only not be plucked while it is maturing, but also must not be trampled. For this reason flocks, and every sort of animal, including even man, must be kept off a meadow; for the foot of man is death to grass and marks the beginning of a path.
XLVIII.
In segetibus autem frumentum quo culmus extulit, spicam. Ea quae mutilata non est, in hordeo et tritico, tria habet continentia, granum, glumam, aristam et etiam, primitus spica cum oritur, vaginam. Granum dictum quod est intimum soldum; gluma qui est folliculus eius; arista quae ut acus tenuis longa eminet e gluma, proinde ut grani apex sit gluma et arista. Arista et granum omnibus fere notum, gluma paucis. Itaque id apud Ennium solum scriptum scio esse in Euhemeri libris versis. Videtur vocabulum etymum habere a glubendo, quod eo folliculo deglubitur granum. Itaque eodem vocabulo appellant fici eius, quam edimus, folliculum. Arista dicta, quod arescit prima. Granum a gerendo; id enim ut gerat spica, seritur frumentum, non ut glumam aut aristam gerat, ut vitis seritur, non ut pampinum ferat, sed ut uvam. Spica autem, quam rustici, ut acceperunt antiquitus, vocant specam, a spe videtur nominata; eam enim quod sperant fore, serunt. Spica mutila dicitur, quae non habet aristam; ea enim quasi cornua sunt spicarum. Quae primitus cum oriuntur neque plane apparent, qua sub latent herba, ea vocatur vagina, ut in qua latet conditum gladium. Illut autem summa in spica iam matura, quod est minus quam granum, vocatur frit; quod in infima spica ad culmum stramenti summum item minus quam granum est, appellatur urru.
[48.1] “Now, in the case of grain crops, that by which the stalk puts forth the grain is the head. If is this “hornless,” as in barley and wheat, it has three components: the grain, the husk, and the beard — and the sheath, also, when the ear first appears. The hard inner part is called the grain; the husk is its envelope; and the beard is the part which rises from the husk like a long, slender needle, just as if the husk and bead formed a peaked cap for the grain. [2] ‘Beard’ and ‘grain’ are familiar words to most people, but ‘husk’ (gluma) to few; thus the only place where it occurs, to my knowledge, is in Ennius, in his translation of Euhemerus. The word (gluma) seems to be derived from glubere, ‘strip,’ because the grain is stripped (deglubitur) from this envelope; so the same word is used for the envelope of the edible fruit of the fig tree. The beard is called arista from the fact that it is the first part to dry (arescere). The grain is so called from gerere; for the seed is planted that the ear may ‘bear’ (gerat) the grain, not the husk of the beard; just as the vine is planted not to bear leaves but grapes. The ear, however, which the peasants, in their old-fashioned way, call speca, seems to have got its name from spes; for it is because they hope (sperant) to have this grow that they plant. [3] An ear which has no bears is said to be ‘hornless,’ as the beard may be said to be the ‘horns’ of the ear. When these are just forming and are not yet quite visible, the green envelope under which they are hidden is called the sheath, being like the sheath in which a sword is encased. The part at the top of the full-grown ear, which is smaller than the grain, is called frit; while the part, also smaller than the grain, at the bottom of the ear where it joins the top of the stalk is called urru.”
XLIX.
Cum conticuisset nec interrogaretur, de nutricatu credens nihil desiderari, Dicam, inquit, de fructibus maturis capiendis. Primum de pratis summissis herba, cum crescere desiit et aestu arescit, subsecari falcibus debet et, quaad perarescat, furcillis versari; cum peraruit, de his manipulos fieri ac vehi ad villam; tum de pratis stipulam rastellis eradi atque addere faenisiciae cumulum. Quo facto sicilienda prata, id est
falcibus consectanda quae faenisices praeterierunt ac quasi herba tuberosum reliquerunt campum. A qua sectione arbitror dictum sicilire pratum.
[49.1] Stolo paused at this point, and, judging from the fact that no questions were asked that no further discussion of nutrition was desired, he continued: “I shall discuss next the subject of harvesting the ripe crops. First the grass on the hay-meadows should be cut close with the sickle when it ceases to grow and begins to dry out with the heat, and turned with the fork while it is drying out; when it is quite dry it should be made into bundles and hauled to the barn. Then the loose hay from the meadows should be raked up and added to the hay-pile. [2] After doing this you should ‘sickle’ the meadows — that is, cut with the sickle what the mowers have passed over, leaving the field humped, as it were, with tufts of grass. I suppose the verb sicilire, used with meadow as object, is derived from this cutting (sectio).
Delphi Complete Works of Varro Page 98