ALDUS TO THE READER, GREETINGS.

I have deemed it necessary to signify to you, my dear and studious reader, that the order of Columella’s books in this volume is different from that in others. This is due to the diligence of our friend Iucundus, who first discovered that the book—which was third, and begins: Since we seem to have instructed you abundantly on the cultivation of fields in the first book, the care of trees and shrubs will not be untimely, which is considered the greatest part of rustic affairs—should not be counted among the books of Columella addressed to Silvinus, for three principal reasons. The first is that this book is the same as the one that immediately follows, which begins: Thus far the cultivation of fields, as the most excellent poet says. For nothing prevents us, O Publius Silvinus, from beginning our discourse on the same subjects under the auspices of the most celebrated song; there follows the care of trees, which is the greatest part of rural affairs. Behold, both are about trees, but the one whose beginning is Thus far the cultivation of fields is both much longer and more polished. The second reason is that in that very book, which we said should not be counted among these books of Columella on rustic affairs, P. Silvinus is nowhere named, as he is in all the others. The third reason is that if that book were inserted among those addressed to Silvinus, the author would have to be accused of negligence for having treated of fruit-bearing trees, cytisus, olives, and certain others—both in this book and in the one which is now the fifth—as if he had forgotten. Furthermore, because at the beginning of the book that starts: We have recalled in seven books what things were necessary for the science of exercising and cultivating land, and what the method of cattle dealing demanded, O P. Silvinus, it would have to be said that there were not seven, but eight books; then in other places, the number of books read in the author's work would be false. For if you were to add the one where the name of Silvinus does not appear, in that book which is inscribed "The Bailiff," and which he himself says is the eleventh book, with these words: And this eleventh precept of rustication, it would have to be written as the twelfth. But that is wrong. For since the author always cites one book after another, as is easy for one who investigates to know, it is necessary that the order of the books be the one held here, and where the author says the seventh, it must be the seventh; where the ninth, the ninth; and where the eleventh, the eleventh. We have taken care to have that book printed at the end of the entire work so that anyone may read it when they wish. Whether it belongs to Columella or to another, or why it should rather appear to be Columella's, let others see. For us, there was no leisure. Farewell.