Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-01-02

OF later time. as well as to the forming OF
two castles of people-land-owners and non-
landowners Some lands near the towns
were inclosed, but the greater part were In
commons, used as sort of community grazing
lands. Both oxen and asses were used in the
cultivation of the soil, but Moses forbade the
yoking of an OK with an ass. for reasons prob
ably best known TO himself. Camels were
then, as now, the beasts of burden and long
journeys, while the horse was used solely for
luxury and war.
The agricultural productions of the jews
were the same as those OF the Egyptians. ex-
cept that they raised no swine. Figs were In
abundant and general use; grapes grew OF
great size, both Of bunch and fruit, and mel
ons and gourds were indispensable articles, es-
pecially the latter as many Of the domestic
articles were made of gourds. Corn, as a
general thing, yielded good crops, but as no
provisions were made during the years OF
plenty for the keeping of supply for the
years of famine, the people otter suffered
from dearth of food. The Bible often
speaks of the pillow and the fail; of thrash
ing floors and of the winnowing of corn. At
ter being winnowed, it was sifted and ground
In rude mills for consumption. In the Bibli-
cal story OF the reapers, where Ruth and Boaz
figured 50 conspie1ougly, we see the wiles of
the fair sex praeticed In manner NOT differing
very essentially from the methods of their
sisters of the more modem times; for can
there be a doubt that, while Ruth was dill
gently cleaning after TIE reapers, she was
Knowingly entangling the susceptible Boaz IN
the mazes of loves web?
The original inhabitants of Greece were
civilized by colonies from Egypt, and received
from them the art of agriculture, as well as
other arts ard sciences in which they excelled.
Immediately preceding the present era the
Greeks furnished a great number of agricult-
ural writer's as many as fifty authorities on
the subject, all bat few of whom were
Greeks, might have been consulted at that
time. The productions of some of these
writers were of unusual merit, when consid-
Grafton is taken of the meager development
of science st the time in which they were
written. Theophrastus, disciple OF Arts
tosle, wrote treatise on natural history OF
unusual merit, and which contains some Curl
Gus observations
ON SOILS AND MANUREs
Not generally attributed TO the agriculturists
of his time. Most of che details in regard to
Grecian agriculture have been derived from
the writings of Hesiod, who fiourished in the
tenth century b. G. Property among the
Greeks was absolute in the owner, and on his
death was divided in equal portions among
his sons. There was law forbidding the I'M
limited purchase of land. Lands with natural
springs and wells were highly valued; and
laws were enacted regulating the depths and
distance from each other of wells, and pro-
viding for the settlement of all questions, in
case no water was found, in such a manner as
30 prevent contentious about water. The
reign of Scion seems to have been prolific in
wise regulations enacted for the welfare and
government of the people in all matters relat-
ing to the occupancy and tillage of the soil.
The operations of agriculture were gen.
orally adapted to the seasons summer-fal-
lowing was in vogue and the land was often
plowed three times. The invention of ma
nures was ascribed by Piiny to the Grecian
King Augeas; and Homer speaks of having
found an old King ''manuring his fields with
his own hands" The practices of agriculture
among the Greeks were essentially the same
as those of their contemporaries, the Jews
and the Egyptians. Their implements of
husbandry were, however, somewhat better
than and in advance of those of the other
nations. The beasts of labor mentioned by
Hesiod are the mule and the OK; these last
were yoked by the horns. Shelter and food
were provided for the stock during the severe
weather. Hay is supposed to have been
derived from the natural grasses OF the
meadows and commons among which were
the mistletoe, lscern and other clovers. The
products of agriculture were the vine, olive,
apple, date and other fruits; the live stock
consisted of sheep, goats, cattle, mules, asses
and horses.
THE OLIVE AND FIGS
Were not only staple product of food, but
were the principal sources of oil among the
Greeks. Almost every citizen was hus-
bandman, and had portion of land which
he cultivated with the help of his family and
few slaves. The productions of the farm
were mostly manufactured at home into food
and clothing for its occupants. Hesiod,
speaking of the qualifications of good plow-
man, says: " The most desirable age for a
plowman is forty. He must be well fed, go
naked in the summer time, rise and go to
work very early, and have sort of annual
feast, good food, and clothing consisting OF
coats of kids skins, worsted socks and half
boots of OK hides in winter. He must not
let his eyes wander about while at the plow,
but cut straight furrow nor be absent in
mind while sowing the seed, lest he SOW the
same furrow twice" This shows a much
greater consideration for the needs and well
fare of the farm hand than is shown by many
of our enlightened and well-to-do farmers of
the present time.
OF the agriculture CT other antiquarian
nations little of defniteness is known, but it
is probable that the practices among them,
| though less perfect, resemble those of the
nations of which we have spoken.
We will now glance at the agriculture of
the Romans, who wele the furthest advanced
in civilization of any of the nations Of the
| second epoch of which we spoke. viz, from
the second century B. G. to the fifth century
of this era. Agriculture was considered by
the Romans as an honorable profession. This
is demonstrated by the fact that some Of their
greatest men devoted themselves to the study
and practice of it, and that their most re-
nowned warriors, daring the interim OF war,
devoted their time to the cultivation Of the
soil, even after they had carried their arms
into Europe. Numerous Roman authors
wrote
TREATIsEs ON AGRICULTURE,
Varro, Virgil, Columella, Pliny and Palla.
dius, have been transmitted down to the
present time. These authors wrote mostly
in the two centuries preceding the present
Christian era. The Roman nation originated
from a company of runaway slaves under
the leadership of Romulus small portion of
Italy was conquered and divided out among
the troops. No restrictions were placed upon
the acquisitions of large estates until about
four hundred years B. G. The lands were
held by theowner independent Of any superior
power, ana II not QlspOs6u OI ny uIIlls al us
death passed by the common law to the
nearest living relative. During the first
years Of the commonwealth the lands were
occupied and cultivated by the proprietors
themselves; this probably accounts for tie
pre-. eIninence of the agriculture of the
Romans, for they being a warfsring nation
and Of more or less systematic methods Of
life, and the maintenance Of the families
being dependent on the products of the soil,
the agricultural practices were carried on by
them with more exactness and system, end
hence with better success, than by other
nations. After Rome had extended her con
quests and acquired larger territory. large
estates were accumulated, the cultivation of
which, in many instances, fell from the hands
of the proprietor to those of overseers or
bailiffs. There were three classes of laborsrs
employed by these bailiffs farmers, and free
and slave servants. The owners of some of
these estates were what we would call
practical agrieulturists, and who maintained
direct supervision over their estates. leaving
the overseers to carry out their commands /;
Others went to reside in the cities, leaving the
lands rented to the bailiff. To the tenant
generally belonged all of the live stock and
implements, and he paid fixed rent for the
use of the laRds. The bailiff was generally q
person of some education and who could read
and write, SO that he should be able 70 exc
cute the commands Of his master and keep
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