THE CLASSICAL PLANTS OF SICILY. 217 
That fertile country has, from the earliest period, been 
celebrated for its corn, and was accounted the granary of 
ancient Rome. Wheat is taken to certain places, named 
Caricatorj, and warehoused in pits ready for exportation. 
The principal Caricatorj are Sciacca, Girgenti, Alicata, 
and Termini. 
153. Secale cereale—Manured Rye. 
Stackhouse refers the Beówos, Theoph. lib. viii. cap. 4, to 
this plant. But, according to Sibthorp, the Oat (Avena sativa) 
is now called at Athens Bg(«, and Beau This last name 
would induce me to think that the BeZuoc, Diosc. lib. ii. cap. 
116, and the Beiuoc, Theoph. lib. viii. cap. 4, might more justly 
be identified with the Oat, than with the Rye; for it may with 
some certainty be supposed that the ancient Greeks were 
acquainted with the former plant, if, according to Bruce, 
Abyssinia was the native country of the oat. (Head’s Life 
of Bruce.) 
Rye, il irmanu, is commonly cultivated on Etna. 
154. Hordeum vulgare.— Common Barley. 
Kegé?. Diosc. lib. ii. cap. 108, also of Theoph. lib. viii. cap. 
4. At Athens it retains nearly its old name Kg, Sibth., 
in Sicilian L’orzu. 
155. Saccharum officinarum.—Common Sugar-Cane. 
The Sugar Cane, La Cannamele, having been introduced 
from Africa, was some years ago much cultivated in the 
neighbourhood of Syracuse, and at the town of Meletti; 
but of late it has been abandoned on account of the trade 
with Brazil. 
Strabo is the first among ancient authors, who has made 
mention of Sugar, Vide Geogr. lib. xi. — 3dxxyogos, Diosc. lib. 
ii. cap. 104, where, says he, it is to be found in reeds, upezéuew 
iz] vi» xaXov», in India and Arabia Felix. Lucan doubtless 
signifies it in this verse, Pharsal. lib. iii. v. 237, 
* Quique bibunt tenerá dulces ab arundine succos.” : 
Saccaron, Pliny Hist. Nat. lib. xii. cap. 8. Galen, likewise 
speaks of Sugar, NM iip in i 
Srconp Series. 
