PLANTS MENTIONED IN CLASSICAL WORKS. 145 
Wheat and barley in Chinese books are often termed the 
= # rh mai or the two mai, the smaller and the greater. 
Barley is twice mentioned in the Shi king, together with 
wheat [see 339]. : 
Menctus, 280, terms the barley ## BE mou mar. 
. Comp. regarding barley P., XXIL, 23, Fe B ta mar and 
the drawing Ch., I, 15. See also Phon zo, XL, 8; Amen, 
ewot., 834, : 
: “BAL, E Epeincnt mention is made in the Chinese Classies 
of the common millet, Panicum miliaceum, L., of which the 
Chinese from early times distinguish two varieties, the 
shu and the $% tsi. [See P., XXIL, 1-5.] The shu is 
characterised by a glutinous matter contained in its seeds, 
; hich property becomes apparent when these seeds are boiled, 
whilst the seeds of the ts, like those of the Panecum 
iliaceum, cultivated in the south. of Europe, are not glu- 
tinous, Complete herbarium specimens of both varieties were 
sent from Peking to the late Dr. Hance and to other 
competent botanists for examination. These botanists were — 
not able to make out any botanical difference between these 
V0, considered by the Chinese as distinct plants. _ 
— The & shu has now the same name as in ancient times. 
es is much cultivated throughout the Empire. The hulled 
ains are called #% JE huang mi (yellow grain, also an 
‘Ancient term). The $f fs/ is known at Peking under the 
ular name of mez tsz‘. They write the first character 2 
r He. This is likewise an ancient synonym. P; quotes I 
n author of the Han dynasty, who says that in the western — 
part of Northern China the tsi is called mez (or mi). 
Drawings of the shu and the tsi are given in Ch., i 22, 3. | 
Kamprnr, in his Aman. exot. [834] notices only the gz 
—vulgo kid’. Milium vulgare, semine hated: The 7 
_ 
