200 Early Agriculture
He must not assume that he knows more than the master. He must consider
the master’s friends his own friends. He must pay heed to anyone to whom he has
been bidden to listen. He must perform no religious rites, except on the occasion
of the Compitalia^13 at the cross-roads, or before the hearth. He must extend credit
to no one without orders from the master, and must collect the loans made by the
master. He must lend to no one seed-grain, fodder, spelt, wine or oil. He must
have two or three households, no more, from whom he borrows and to whom he
lends. He must make up accounts with the master often. He must not hire the
same day-labourer or servant or caretaker for longer than a day. He must not want
to make any purchases without the knowledge of the master, nor want to keep
anything hidden from the master. He must have no hanger-on. He must not con-
sult a fortune-teller, or prophet or diviner or astrologer.^14 He must not stint the
seed for sowing, for that brings bad fortune. He must see to it that he knows how
to perform all the operations of the farm, and actually does perform them often,
but not to the extent of becoming exhausted; by so doing he will learn what is in
his servants’ minds, and they will perform their work more contentedly. Also, he
will be less disposed to gad about, will be in better health, and will enjoy his sleep
more. He must be the first out of bed, the last to go to bed. Before then he must
see that the farmstead is closed, that each one is asleep in his proper place, and that
the stock have fodder.
See that the draft oxen are looked after with the greatest care, and be somewhat
indulgent to the teamsters to make them look after their stock with more pleasure.
See that you keep your ploughs and ploughshares in good condition. Be careful
not to plough land which is cariosa^15 or drive a cart over it, or turn cattle into it; if
you are not careful about this, you will lose three years’ crop of the land on which
you have turned them. Litter the cattle and flocks carefully, and see that their hoofs
are kept clean. Guard against the scab in flocks and herds; it is usually caused by
under-feeding and exposure to wet weather. See that you carry out all farm opera-
tions betimes, for this is the way with farming: if you are late in doing one thing
you will be late in doing everything. If bedding runs short, gather oak leaves and
use them for bedding down sheep and cattle. See that you have a large dunghill;
save the manure carefully, and when you carry it out, clean it of foreign matter and
break it up. Autumn is the time to haul it out. During the autumn also dig trenches
around the olive trees and manure them. Cut poplar, elm and oak leaves betimes;
store them before they are entirely dry, as fodder for sheep. Second-crop hay and
aftermath should also be stored dry. Sow turnips, forage crops and lupins after the
autumn rains.
VI. This rule should be observed as to what you should plant in what places:
Grain should be sown in heavy, rich, treeless soil; and if this sort of soil is subject
to fogs it should preferably be sown with rape, turnips, millet and panic-grass. In
heavy, warm soil plant olives^16 – those for pickling, the long variety, the Sallentine,
the orcites, the posea, the Sergian, the Colminian and the waxy-white; choose
especially the varieties which are commonly agreed to be the best for these districts.
Plant this variety of olives at intervals of 25 or 30 feet. Land which is suitable for