On Agriculture

M.T.瓦罗The Commercial Press · ChinaApr 2023

Rating 3.5
Word count
110K words
Chapters
106
ISBN
9787100080804

Tags

Finance and Economics Agricultural EconomyFarm ManagementAgronomyAncient SocietyEstate ManagementProduction PracticeEconomic HistoryRoman VillaEconomic ThoughtLate Republic

Summary

One of the classics of Western agricultural literature, this work is an important source for the study of the estate economy of the late Roman Republic and holds a place in the history of economic thought. It records one facet of economic life and activity in first-century BC Italy, offering numerous authentic and engaging historical details that help illuminate the production practices of contemporary society—and, of course, invite comparison with production practices in China during the same period. The book thus has reference value for the study of ancient Western history as well as for general economic and agricultural history.

Editor's review

Varro's On Agriculture is not only the crowning achievement of Roman agronomy but also a precious window onto Roman society, economy, and culture in the first century BC. As a practical manual written by a polymath, its value far exceeds mere guidance on farming techniques. Its detailed discussions of estate management, the slave economy, crop rotation, livestock raising, and even the layout of farm buildings reveal the systematization and specialization of agricultural production at the height of Rome. Readers should note that Varro's writing bears the clear stamp of his era—he regarded agriculture as the noblest occupation, and his exposition fuses practical experience, folk wisdom, and philosophical reflection, giving the text a distinctive composite character. Modern readers can not only see the wisdom of ancient agricultural techniques (such as soil improvement and grafting) but also observe Roman social structure, slave-based modes of production, and the values of the aristocratic class through agriculture, a foundational industry. The Commercial Press edition is meticulously translated with detailed annotations, providing reliable support for understanding the text's historical context. This book is best read as a social-history document that views civilization through agriculture, rather than as a purely agronomic treatise.

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Reading tips

  1. Begin with the translator's preface and relevant historical background to establish the temporal and spatial framework
  2. Use maps to understand the geographical features of the Italian regions mentioned in the book
  3. Read Cato's De Agricultura, a contemporary work, alongside for comparison

About the publisher

The Commercial Press China · Founded in 1897

The Commercial Press is a publisher known for classic works and academic publishing, with titles spanning Eastern philosophy, foreign literature, world history, social culture, and applied psychology. Its list includes classical commentaries such as Zhu Xi's Collected Commentaries on the Analects and Wang Bi's Commentary on the Zhouyi, as well as modern annotated translations like Zhuangzi with Modern Notes and Translation. In foreign literature it offers War and Peace and Crime and Punishment, while in world history it carries Braudel's The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II. Applied psychology is represented by Irvin D. Yalom's Existential Psychotherapy, and ethical texts include a Greek-Chinese-English edition of the Nicomachean Ethics. Its authors and translators include Zhu Xi, Wang Bi, Yalom, Braudel, and translators such as Huang Zheng, Zhang Yiling, Shen Dongyu, and Tang Jialong, balancing the editing of original texts with academic translation.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 汉译世界学术名著丛书
  3. 译者前言
  4. 英译者序
  5. 英译者引言
  6. 第一卷 农业
  7. 第一章 引言
  8. 第二章 农业的目的和范围
  9. 第三章 农业是一种技艺
  10. 第四章 四个要素
  11. 第五章 农业科学的分科
  12. 第六章 土地
  13. 第七章 地点
  14. 第八章 论葡萄的修剪
  15. 第九章 农地
  16. 第十章 土地的测量
  17. 第十一章 农庄上的建筑物
  18. 第十二章 农舍的位置
  19. 第十三章 农庄的院落和房屋
  20. 第十四章 篱笆和围墙
  21. 第十五章 以树为界
  22. 第十六章 一座农庄的四邻
  23. 第十七章 农庄的设备——奴隶
  24. 第十八章 农庄上人员的数量
  25. 第十九章 关于生产工具(半哑的)
  26. 第二十章 牛和牵引牲畜
  27. 第二十一章 狗和四脚家畜
  28. 第二十二章 生产工具(不会说话的)
  29. 第二十三章 农作物
  30. 第二十四章 橄榄和植树
  31. 第二十五章 葡萄树
  32. 第二十六章 葡萄园
  33. 第二十七章 时令和季节
  34. 第二十八章 一年的划分
  35. 第二十九章 第一分季(八个分季的第一季)
  36. 第三十章 第二分季(八个分季的第二季)
  37. 第三十一章 第三分季(八个分季的第三季)
  38. 第三十二章 第四分季(八个分季的第四季)
  39. 第三十三章 第五分季(八个分季的第五季)
  40. 第三十四章 第六分季(八个分季的第六季)
  41. 第三十五章 第七分季(八个分季的第七季)
  42. 第三十六章 第八分季(八个分季的最末一季)
  43. 第三十七章 月亮和一年的六部划分
  44. 第三十八章 施肥
  45. 第三十九章 繁殖的方法
  46. 第四十章 播种、栽培和接枝
  47. 第四十一章 接枝和插枝
  48. 第四十二章 播种紫花苜蓿
  49. 第四十三章 树状的紫花苜蓿
  50. 第四十四章 一般庄稼
  51. 第四十五章 植物的生长
  52. 第四十六章 植物的习性
  53. 第四十七章 作物的管理
  54. 第四十八章 谷粒
  55. 第四十九章 干草的收获
  56. 第五十章 收割
  57. 第五十一章 打禾场
  58. 第五十二章 打谷
  59. 第五十三章 拾落穗
  60. 第五十四章 酿酒
  61. 第五十五章 橄榄制品
  62. 第五十六章 储备干草
  63. 第五十七章 谷仓
  64. 第五十八章 储藏豆类和葡萄
  65. 第五十九章 储藏苹果
  66. 第六十章 食用橄榄
  67. 第六十一章 橄榄汁
  68. 第六十二章 保存和消费
  69. 第六十三章 谷物出仓
  70. 第六十四章 橄榄汁的制造
  71. 第六十五章 酒
  72. 第六十六章 白橄榄
  73. 第六十七章 胡桃、枣、无花果
  74. 第六十八章 吊果
  75. 第六十九章 出售的农产品
  76. 第二卷 家畜
  77. 引言
  78. 第一章 牧畜：它的起源、声誉和实践
  79. 第二章 绵羊
  80. 第三章 山羊
  81. 第四章 猪
  82. 第五章 母牛和公牛
  83. 第六章 驴
  84. 第七章 公马和母马
  85. 第八章 马骡和驴骡
  86. 第九章 狗
  87. 第十章 牧人
  88. 第十一章 奶和羊毛
  89. 第三卷 小家畜
  90. 第一章 引言和献词
  91. 第二章 各类的别庄
  92. 第三章 别庄以内饲养的家禽
  93. 第四章 泛论鸟类
  94. 第五章 鸫鸟
  95. 第六章 孔雀
  96. 第七章 鸽子
  97. 第八章 斑鸠
  98. 第九章 鸡
  99. 第十章 鹅
  100. 第十一章 鸭
  101. 第十二章 养兔场
  102. 第十三章 野猪和其他四脚兽
  103. 第十四章 蜗牛
  104. 第十五章 睡鼠
  105. 第十六章 蜜蜂和养蜂场
  106. 第十七章 鱼池

FAQ

What are the main differences between this book and Cato's De Agricultura? Varro's discussion is more systematic and theoretical, engaging more with philosophical and scientific thought, and reflects the large-scale development of Roman agriculture and the mature form of the slave economy nearly a century later.
What can non-specialist readers gain from this book? Through the concrete domain of agriculture, they can directly sense the Roman way of thinking, economic logic, and view of nature, gaining an immersive historical experience.
What relevance does the book's content have for today? Its core value lies in demonstrating the holistic and systemic thinking of ancient sustainable agriculture rather than specific techniques, and it still offers inspiration for thinking about ecological farming.

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About the author

M.T.瓦罗 Author

M. T. Varro is not a commonly seen author name in Chinese publishing, and public information about him is limited: his nationality, dates of birth and death, and full English name remain unverified. Only one work by him is currently held in the collection, namely On Agriculture. Judging from the title and its usual classification under finance and economics, the book likely deals with agricultural production, land management and related economic matters, making it a practical work centered on farming. Works titled On Agriculture have appeared in both ancient and modern times, and such texts typically combine technical records with economic observation, discussing specific production activities such as cultivation and livestock rearing while also touching on estate management and arrangements for revenue. Readers of Varro's book may therefore pay attention to how it treats agriculture as an activity requiring management and accounting. Given the lack of information about translations and the author's life, his identity should not be over-inferred; consulting the preface, notes and bibliography of the specific edition is recommended to understand the book's sources and historical context accurately.