Economics

Then do you think, Socrates, that it is better to select one of these times for sowing, whether you sow much or little, or to begin at the earliest moment and continue sowing to the latest?

For my part, Ischomachus, I think it is best to sow for succession throughout the season. For in my opinion it is much better to get enough food at all times than too much at one time and not enough at another.Here again, then, Socrates, pupil and teacher are of one opinion; and, moreover, you, the pupil, are first in stating this opinion.

Well now, is casting the seed a complicated problem?By all means let us take that also into consideration, Socrates. I presume that you know as well as I that the seed must be cast by the hand?Yes, I have seen it.Ah, he said, but some men can cast evenly, and some cannot. Then sowers no less than lyre-players need practice, that the hand may be the servant of the will. Certainly.

But suppose that some of the land is rather light and some rather heavy?What do you mean by that? I interrupted. By light do you mean weak, and by heavy, strong? Yes, I do; and I ask you whether you would give the same quantity of seed to both kinds, or to which you would give more?

Well, my principle is this: the stronger the wine, the more water I add; the stronger the bearer, the heavier the burden I put on his back; and if it is necessary to feed others, I should require the richest men to feed the greatest number. But tell me whether weak land, like draught animals, becomes stronger when you put more corn into it.

Ah, you’re joking, Socrates, he said, laughing, but allow me to tell you that, if after putting in the seed you plough it in again as soon as the blade appears when the land is obtaining plenty of nourishment from the sky, it makes food for the soil, and strengthens it like manure. If, on the other hand, you let the seed go on growing on the land until it is bolled, it’s hard for weak land to yield much grain in the end. It’s hard, you know, for a weak sow to rear a big litter of fine pigs.

Do you mean, Ischomachus, that the weaker the soil the less seed should be put into it?Yes, of course, Socrates; and you agree when you say that your invariable custom is to make the burden light that is to be borne by the weak.

But the hoers, now, Ischomachus, why do you put them on the corn?I presume you know that in winter there is a heavy rainfall?Of course.Let us assume, then, that part of the corn is waterlogged and covered with mud, and some of the roots are exposed by flooding. And it often happens, you know, that in consequence of rain weeds spring up among the corn and choke it.

All these things are likely to happen.Then don’t you think that in such circumstances the corn needs prompt succour?Certainly.What should be done, do you think, to succour the part that is under the mud?The soil should be lifted.And the part that has its roots exposed?It should be earthed up.

What if weeds are springing up, choking the corn and robbing it of its food, much as useless drones rob bees of the food they have laid in store by their industry?The weeds must be cut, of course, just as the drones must be removed from the hive.

Don’t you think, then, that we have good reason for putting on men to hoe?No doubt; but I am reflecting, Ischomachus, on the advantage of bringing in an apt simile. For you roused my wrath against the weeds by mentioning the drones, much more than when you spoke of mere weeds.

However, I continued, after this comes reaping, I fancy. So give me any information you can with regard to that too. Yes—unless I find that you know just what I do about that subject too. You know, then, that the corn must be cut. I know that, naturally. Are you for standing with your back to the wind when you cut corn, or facing it? Not facing it, no! I think it is irritating both to the eyes and to the hands to reap with cornstalks and spikes blowing in your face.

And would you cut near the top or close to the ground?If the stalk is short, I should cut low down, so that the straw may be more useful; but if it is long, I think it would be right to cut in the middle, in order that the threshers and winnowers may not spend needless trouble on what they don’t want. I imagine that the stubble may be burnt with advantage to the land, or thrown on the manure heap to increase its bulk.

Do you notice, Socrates, that you stand convicted of knowing just what I know about reaping too?Yes, it seems so; and I want to know besides whether I understand threshing as well.Then you know this much, that draught animals are used in threshing?

Yes, of course I do; and that the term draught animals includes oxen, mules and horses.Then do you not think that all the beasts know is how to trample on the corn as they are driven?Why, what more should draught animals know?

And who sees that they tread out the right corn, and that the threshing is level, Socrates?The threshers, clearly. By continually turning the untrodden corn and throwing it under the animal’s feet they will, of course, keep it level on the floor and take least time over the work.So far, then, your knowledge is quite as good as mine.

Will not our next task be to clean the corn by winnowing, Ischomachus?Yes, Socrates; and tell me, do you know that if you start on the windward side of the floor, you will find the husks carried right across the floor?It must be so.

Is it not likely, then, that some will fall on the grain?Yes, it is a long way for the husks to be blown, right over the grain to the empty part of the floor.But what if you start winnowing against the wind?Clearly the chaff will at once fall in the right place.

And as soon as you have cleaned the corn over one half of the floor, will you at once go on throwing up the rest of the chaff while the corn lies about just as it is, or will you first sweep the clean corn towards the edge,[*](The meaning of πόλος here is really unknown, I believe.) so as to occupy the smallest space?Of course I shall first sweep the clean corn up, so that my chaff may be carried across into the empty space, and I may not have to throw up the same chaff twice.

Well, Socrates, it seems you are capable of teaching the quickest way of cleaning corn.I really wasn’t aware that I understood these things; and so I have been thinking for some time whether my knowledge extends to smelting gold, playing the flute, and painting pictures. For I have never been taught these things any more than I have been taught farming; but I have watched men working at these arts, just as I have watched them farming.