Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

64 AGRICULTURA. AGRICU LTURA.
nated delici, and sometimes nefrendes, because not portant pastoral district of the Roman world, were
yet able to crunch hard food. The males not re- superior to all others.
served for breeding were castrated when from six The points characteristic of a good animal, and
to twelve months old, and were then termed the warranty usually demanded by the buyer, wiil
srejules. (Varr. ii. 4; Colum. vii. 9, Praef. i. be found fully detailed in Varro (ii. 5), il Colu~ 26; Plin. H. N. viii. 51; Pallad. iv. 26.) mella, who here copies the description of the Carthaginian Mago (vi. 1, 20, 21), and in Palladius
II. MAJORES PECUDES.
(iv. 11, 12).
1. Kine (pecus bubzulum, armentum bubulun) Cows (vaccae) were not fit for breeding until
were divided into classes, according as they were they were upwards of two years old, and they conkept at home and employed in the labours of the tinned to produce until they had reached the age
farm (boves domiti), or pastured in large herds of ten. Considerable variation is to be found in
(armnenta). the agricultural writers as to the age at which the
Bores domiti, wherever the nature of the soil bulls arrived at full vigour, Varro considering
and the mode of culture pursued permitted, were that they might be employed when a year old,
allowed to pasture; since growing grass (viride Columella and Pliny recommending that they
pabulum) was'considered the most suitable of all should be kept until four. The former, however,
food; when this could not be supplied, it became is the precept of the practical man, and is connecessary to stall-feed them (alere ad praesepia); sonant with modem experience. The time of gesbut they were allowed to stand in the open air tation being nearly ten (lunar) months, the most
during the hot weather, while in winter they were favourable period for impregnation was from the
kept in spacious byres (stabula, consepta) built with middle of June to the end of July, for thus the
a southerly aspect so as to be sheltered from cold calves (vituli) would be born when spring was
winds, the floors being hard and sloping to prevent well advanced (maturo vere). When parturition
moisture from being absorbed, and to allow it to was approaching, the pregnant cow (loerdac yuccca)
run off freely, while to promote the warmth and was carefully watched, fed richly, and protected
comfort of the animals they were bedded with from' the assaults of the gad-fly and other torabundance of litter (stramentum pecori et bubus menting assailants; the calf for some time after its
dildgenter substernatur, Cat. 5.), usually straw, or birth was allowed to suck freely, but as it inleaves, such as those of the ilex, which were sup- creased in strength was tempted with green food,
posed to yield little nourishment. Their staple in order that it might in some degree relieve the
food from the middle of April until the middle of mother, and after six months had elapsed, was fed
June was vetches, lucerne, clover, and other fodder regularly with wheat bran, barley meal, or tender
cut green; from the middle of June to the begin- grass, and gradually weaned entirely. Castration
ning of November the leaves of trees, those of the was performed at the age of two years. The vielm, the oak, and the poplar being regarded as the tuli intended for labour were to be handled (trucbest; from the beginning of November until April tari) from an early age to render them tamre, but
meadow hay (foes2um pratense), and, where hay were not to be broken in to work (domari) before
could not be procured, chaff, grape husks, acorns, their third, nor later than their fifth year. The
and dry leaves were substituted mixed with barley, method of breaking (domuitura) those taken wild
or with some of the leguminous seeds, such as from the herd is fully described by Colunlella
beans, lupines, or chick-peas previously steeped in (vi. 2), and Palladius fixes the end of March as the
water (maceratae), or crushed (fresae). When an time most appropriate for commencing the operaox was fed upon hay, from 30 to 40 pounds weight tion. The members of a herd, according to age
(Roman pound = 11 oz. avoird.) was an ample and sex, were termed, Vituzlus, Vitula; Juvencus,
allowance, except during the months of November Juvenca; Bos novellus, Buculus; Bos vetulus,
and December, that is, during the ploughing and Taurus, Vacca; a barren cow was named TasZra.
sowing season, when they received from the feeder (Cat. 5, 30; Varr. ii. 1, 5; Colum. vi. 1-3, 20(pabulatorius) as much food of the most nutritious 24; Plin. H. N. viii. 45; Pallad. iv. 11, 12, vi. 7,
kind as they could consume. Lumps of salt placed viii. 4.)
near the consepta proved very attractive to the 2. Horses (peczss equin2um s. equitiusm, armentum
animals and conduced to their health. equinzum) are divided by Columella into Generosi,
Large herds were pastured chiefly in woods blood horses; Mulares, horses adapted for breedilng
where there was abundance of grass, leaves, and mules; Vglyares, ordinary horses.
tender twigs, shifting to the coast in winter and to The points of a horse, the method of ascertaining
the cool shady hills in summer, under the charge of his age up to seven years old, and the warranty
herdsmen (armentarii), a class altogether distinct usually given by the seller, are detailed in Varro
from the bzubulci, or hinds, who worked and tended (ii. 7. ~ 4, 5, 6 ) in Columella (vi. 29), and in
the baves domestici. The common number in a herd Paliadius (iv. 13).
was from 100 to 120, the animals were carefully Horses either pastured in grass fields or were fed
inspected every year, and the least promising (reji- in the stable upon dry hay (ins stabulis ac pruaese-,.culae) weeded out. The proportion of two bulls, a pibus), to which barley was added when the aniyearling and a two-year old, to 60 or 70 cows was mal was required to undergo any extraordinary
usually observed, but Columella doubles the num- fatigue. Brood mares were frequently kept ill
ber of males. The Umbrian oxen, especially those large troops which shifted, like sheep and oxen,
on the Clitumnus, were the largest and finest in from the mountains to the coast, according to the
Italy; those of Etruria, Latium, and Gaul were season; two mounted men being attached to each
smaller, but strongly made and well adapted for herd of fifty. The mare (equa) was considered fit
labour; those of Thrace were valued for sacrificial for breeding at two years old, and continued propurposes in consequence of being for the most part lific up to the age of ten; the stallion (acinissasiuv.:)
pure white; but the cattle of Epirus, the most im- remained in vigour from three years old until