rs negligent.

[11] See Anatol. "Geop." ii. 10. 9; Theophr. "de Caus." ii. 5. 4, 16.
8, ap. Holden. Cf. Virg. "Georg." ii. 238:

salsa autem tellus, et quae perhibetur amara frugibus infelix.

But even if a man were altogether ignorant what earth can yield, were he
debarred from seeing any fruit or plant, prevented hearing from the
lips of any one the truth about this earth: even so, I put it to you, it
would be easier far for any living soul to make experiments on a piece
of land, [12] than on a horse, for instance, or on his fellow-man. For
there is nought which earth displays with intent to deceive, but in
clear and simple language stamped with the seal of truth she informs
us what she can and cannot do. [13] Thus it has ever seemed to me that
earth is the best discoverer of true honesty, [14] in that she offers
all her stores of knowledge in a shape accessible to the learner, so
that he who runs may read. Here it is not open to the sluggard, as in
other arts, to put forward the plea of ignorance or lack of knowledge,
for all men know that earth, if kindly treated, will repay in kind.
No! there is no witness [15] against a coward soul so clear as that of
husbandry; [16] since no man ever yet persuaded himself that he could
live without the staff of life. He therefore that is unskilled in other
money-making arts and will not dig, shows plainly he is minded to make
his living by picking and stealing, or by begging alms, or else he
writes himself down a very fool. [17]

[12] Or, "this fair earth herself."

[13] Or, "earth our mother reveals her powers and her impotence."

[14] Lit. "of the good and the bad." Cf. Dem. "adv. Phorm." 918. 18.

[15] Lit. "no accuser of." Cf. Aesch. "Theb." 439.

[16] Reading, with Sauppe, {all' e georgia}, or if, with Jacobs, {e en
georgia argia}, transl. "as that of idleness in husbandry."

[17] Or, "if not, he must be entirely irrational." Cf. Plat. "Apol."
37 C.

Presently, Ischomachus proceeded: Now it is of prime importance, [18] in
reference to the profitableness or unprofitableness of agriculture, even
on a large estate where there are numerous [19] workfolk, [20] whether a
man takes any pains at all to see that his labourers are devoted to the
work on hand during the appointed time, [21] or whether he neglects that
duty. Since one man will fairly distance ten [22] simply by working at
the time, and another may as easily fall short by leaving off before t