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labruscagrape - Re: [OFEX] Ancient Writings

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Subject: Ontario Fruit Explorers

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  • From: "Thomas Olenio" <tolenio@sentex.net>
  • To: "Ontario Fruit Explorers" <labruscagrape@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [OFEX] Ancient Writings
  • Date: Thu, 27 Jul 2006 08:58:19 -0400

On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 22:12:32 -0400, joe calico <jcalico@sympatico.ca> wrote:

Tom, surely you didn't type that entire chapter XVIII onto the email
below. Is this off of some web site or what?
Joe C


Hi Joe,

I should have given the web page referernce, But Pliny won't complain;

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/holland/pliny15.html

Pliny was born 23/24 AD and his work was translated from the original Latin in 1601. Cato and Columella are other early Romans who wrote on agriculture.

I guess you could call Pliny's writing "THE HISTORIE OF NATVRE" one of the earliest discovered encyclopedias. And even he will talk about thngs passed down from the ancients.

Book XV of his writing deals with "Of the natures of Trees that beare Fruit.".

You can gleen all kinds of information from these types of writings. Everything from ancient global warming to grafting tips.

Columella wrote briefly about global warming when discussing grapes. He talked about regions of Italy where it was once too cold for grapes to grow, but now were very productive due to changes in climate (global warming and no cars, go figure).

Columella gave specific instructions on how to graft. He was very explicit that you wrap the union tightly with Greek Willow bark. We know today that willow is source of plant hormones that induce callousing, healing and rooting.

They did not know why things worked, they just knew some things worked better than others.

I like looking at their pratical information and compairing it with the knowledge we have today. They were not that backward.

Later,
Tom


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  • Re: [OFEX] Ancient Writings, Thomas Olenio, 07/27/2006

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