Ancient Farming

Horowhenua Chronicle, 7 January 1914, Page 2

Ancient Farming

(Written for Horowhenua • Chronicle.) • Mr Lloyd Storr-Best's new translation of Varro's Treatise on Agriculture lias brought ancient agriculture once more under no- * tice. Marcus Tarentius Varro was a prolific writer who lived -from 116 to 27 8.C., and wlio en- ' J u-rcd deeply into the political, literary, and social life of that period. . . According to an article contributed by Mr J. S. Shewan to . the '.'Scottish Farmer," Yarrows treatise was written about 40 B.C. ' —~ Varro intended it <as a practical ■ j guide to his wife, who had just A acquired' a- farm. The book is now used historically. Conditions have so altered thai it would be vam to hope to find much of practical use to-day in this ancient work. But in some points the * ,: ll outlook is wonderfully modern, \ and in others the ini'ormat&n surprising. In some' parts of Gaul * they manured the lields with 1 marne, a natural mixture of'clay .• and lime, which is still much used in parts of France as a man- : ure; and where salt could not be • had, salt charcoal was -obtained . ~ by. burning certain woods/ Varro's book also advises . that the ■ manure heap must be kept covered, or the sun will suck out the . , goodness which the soil .requires. In those ancient days the Roman farms were worked by slaves v v Varro givess advice regarding their treatment. -farts 'of his f methods are applicable at the present time, in some cases. '- He • recommends that the slaves' inter- V ' est in farm work be quickened by - means of reward; that they be clothed, and fed and granted lioli-; . days; and that tliey be allowed to gr£ze a beast on the-farm. Varro recommends that all farm implements should be inventoried, and a copy kept. Even the benefits • of green manuring were' noticed ■ in those days and Varro status.. ; "some things should be sown witlfT" a view not so much as to present profit as to next year's crop; be- . ' cause, when cut down and left, they benefit the land. Thus : , lupins, before they produce many ' ' pods—and sometimes • beenstalks, if the podding stage be not so far advanced that it is profitable to pull the beans—are usually ploughed into poor land for manure." Varro makes mention of a a curved piece of wood tpith a; ' ' small iron saw at one end used for reaping in Picenum. This grasped . > a bundle of ears and cut them offleaving the stalks standing. . The , way to make hay was to toss it with a fork until thoroughly dry. Varro's advice on cattle breedingis to see "that they are well put together, sound of limb, in shape square, and of great size, blackish : horns, wide foreheads, big black eyes and hairy ears; they should _ have flattened . jaws, somewhat snub noses, and a slightly concave spine; the nostrils snould be wide, the neck thick with long, hanging dewlap, the body well ribbed up with broad shoulders, and buttocks of good size. Tho best colour is black, tlieai red, dun and white; those of the last col- ; our are the most delicate." , -The directions on horse breeding are: "They should be of good size. The mares should, have broad , : quaiters and bellies. Horses for _ stud purposes should have no 1 v ; part out of proportion. The \ horse is a good one if his head is y small,, if he has well-proportioned ' / * ' limbs, black eyes, well-opened , / nostrils, ears leaning forward, abundant mane and slightly curling; the chest broad and full, belly of moderate size; loins sloping downwards and broad shoulder blades; the spine, if possible, double; failing this, not' projecting. He should have the veins visible all over his body, for , a horse of such a kind can readily be treated when he is ill." > 4 Mr Shewan says there are many u , other interesting points in the / Uoiiian Guide to Agriculture. , 1