17.10
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.
17.11
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.
17.12
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.
17.13
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.
