Lib. i. 



Of the Hiftoric of Plants. 



vp the di ("cafes of Grainc,as well thofe that come of the graine it felfe degenerating, or that are 

 changed into fome other kindc,and made worfe through the fault of the weather* or of the foile* 

 as alto fuch as be cumbcrfomc by growing among them, which doe likewife fitly fucceed the 

 graincs. And beginning with cornc, we will fir ft fpeake of wheat, and defcribe it in the flrft place 



preferred before all other 



i 



Trtticumfyic&mHt 



White VVheatc. 



t 



*K> 





% 



i 



The Defcriftion. 



Wheare which 



ftinguifhing it by the eare, calJeth spica, 

 Mutica^% the moil principal! of all other, 

 whofc eares are altogether bare or naked , without 

 avvnes or cbaffie beards. The flalke rifcth from a thrcd- 

 dy root, compact of many firings, joynted or kneed at 

 fundry diflances ; fr6m whence (hoot forth gfaflie 

 blades and leaues like vnto Rie, but broader. The 

 plant is fowellknowne to many, and fo profitable to 

 all.that the meanefl and mofl ignorant need no larger 

 defcription to know the fame by. 



2 



Wheat 



root 



Joints and blades, is like the precedenr,difteringonely 

 incare, and number of graines, whereof this kind doth 

 abound,hauingan eare confiding of many ranks,which 



fecmeth to make the eare double or fquare. ,„ 



and graine is like the other, but not bare and naked" 

 but briftled or bearded, with many fmall and fharpe 

 eiles or awnes not vnlike to thofc of Barley. 



3 Flat Wheate is like vnto the other kindes of 

 Wheat in leaues, ftalks, aad roots, but is bearded and 

 bordered with rough and fharpeailes,wherein confifls 

 the difference. X 1 know not what our author means 

 by this flat Wheat, but I conjeaure it to be the long 

 rough eared Wheat, which bath blewifh eares whe« 

 as it is ripe, mother things refcmbling the ordinary 

 red Wheat. * J 



t 



4 



lail 



ffereth from it.in that, this kind hath 



fmall earscomming forth of one great eare,& the beards hereof be fhorref than of the former kind 1 

 5 Bright Wheat is like the fecond before defcribed,and differeth from it in that, that this 

 kind is foure fquare, fomewhat bright and fliining ; the other not. 



t Ithinkeitavervfitthin?toaddein this nlace a rarpaUfat 



of 



one ipecies into another, m plants; which though it haueheeneobferued in ancient times as by 



1 heObhrafttiA rip tAuCnl/tvit lib -» rAtt + £ urh#»r/»4c imrtnrr null i 1 ^- l .t t * ^ 



7 *!%<&*?< 



tftuSjJcuu[.fUnt.M.$. cap. 16. whereas among others hee mentioned the change of 



) oates : and by Virgil in thefe words . 



rAndiafxpt qui bus mand&vimus H or deaf* 

 ifalix Lolium&fierilts dominantur avei 



wh 



That is . 



Nothing but Darnell and poore Oats do grow, 

 yet none that I haue read haue obferued, that two feuerall graines,perfea in each re fpe & did grow 

 at any time m one eare: the which I faw thisyeare 1*3 2, in an eare of white Wheat which iwas 

 found by my very good friend MJJohn Goody er, a man fecond to none in his induflrie and fearchins 

 of plants, nor in his judgement or knowledge of them. This eare of wheat was as Iar°e and faire as 

 mofl are,and about the middle thereof grew three or foure perfeft Oats in all refpeOS • which be 

 g hard to be found, I held very worthy of fetting downe, for Come reafons not to be infifled vpoa 



^ The Place. 



Wheat groweth almoft in all the countries of the world that are inhabited and manured, and 



nd dry,than watery grounds and fhadowie:for 



1 



d 



h) it groweth harder and better com 



!• 



F 



• 



