d enough now to believe that no one need
abstain from agriculture for fear he will not recognise the nature of
the soil. Indeed, I now recall to mind a fact concerning fishermen, how
as they ply their business on the seas, not crawling lazily along, nor
bringing to, for prospect's sake, but in the act of scudding past the
flying farmsteads, [8] these brave mariners have only to set eyes upon
crops on land, and they will boldly pronounce opinion on the nature
of the soil itself, whether good or bad: this they blame and that they
praise. And these opinions for the most part coincide, I notice, with
the verdict of the skilful farmer as to quality of soil. [9]

[8] Or, "the flying coastland, fields and farmyards."

[9] Lit. "And indeed the opinions they pronounce about 'a good soil'
mostly tally with the verdict of the expert farmer."

Isch. At what point shall I begin then, Socrates, to revive your
recollection [10] of the art of husbandry? since to explain to you the
processes employed in husbandry means the statement of a hundred details
which you know yourself full well already.

[10] Or, "begin recalling to your mind." See Plat. "Meno," for the
doctrine of Anamensis here apparently referred to.

Soc. The first thing I should like to learn, Ischomachus, I think, if
only as a point befitting a philosopher, is this: how to proceed and how
to work the soil, did I desire to extract the largest crops of wheat and
barley.

Isch. Good, then! you are aware that fallow must be broken up in
readiness [11] for sowing?

[11] Or, "ploughed up." Cf. Theophr. "Hist. Pl." iii. i. 6; Dion. Hal.
"Ant." x. 17.

Soc. Yes, I am aware of that.

Isch. Well then, supposing we begin to plough our land in winter?

Soc. It would not do. There would be too much mud.

Isch. Well then, what would you say to summer?

Soc. The soil will be too hard in summer for a plough and a pair of oxen
to break up.

Isch. It looks as if spring-time were the season to begin this work,
then? What do you say?

Soc. I say, one may expect the soil broken up at that season of the year
to crumble [12] best.

[12] {kheisthai} = laxari, dissolvi, to be most friable, to scatter
readily.

Isch. Yes, and grasses [13] turned over at that season, Socrates, serve
to supply the soil already with manure; while as they have not shed
their seed as yet, they cannot vegetate. [14] I am supposing that you
recognise a further fact: to form good