Chap. 20.] WIJfTEE WHEAT. 33 



localities particularly well, such as we find in Italy and Gallia 

 Comata ; but beyond the Alps it is found to maintain its cha- 

 racter only in the territory of the Allobroges and that of the 

 Memini ; for in the other parts of those countries it degene- 

 rates at the end of two years into common wheat. ^- The only 

 method of preventing this is to take care and sow the heaviest 

 grains only. 



(9.) Winter wheat furnishes bread of the very finest quality 

 and the most esteemed delicacies of the bakers. The best 

 bread that is known in Italy is made from a mixture of Cam- 

 pauian winter wheat with that of Pisae. The Campanian kind 

 is of a redder colour, while the latter is white ; when mixed 

 with chalk,^^ it is increased in weight. The proper proportion 

 for the yield of Campanian wheat to the modius of grain is 

 four sextarii of what is known as bolted flour ; ^ but when it 

 is used in the rough and has not been bolted, then the yield 

 should be five sextarii of flour. In addition to this, in either 

 case there should be half a modius of white meal, with four 

 sextarii of coarse meal, known as " seconds," and the same 

 quantity of bran.^^ The Pisan wheat produces five sextarii of 

 fine flour to the modius; in other respects it yields the same 

 as that of Campania. The wheat of Clusium and Arretium 

 gives another sextarius of fine flour, but the yield is similar to 

 that of the kinds already mentioned in all other respects. 

 If, however, as much of it as possible is converted into fine 

 wheat meal, the modius will yield sixteen pounds weight of 

 white bread, and three of seconds, with half a modius of bran. 

 These differences, however, depend very materially upon the 

 grinding ; for when the grain is ground quite dry it produces 

 more meal, but when sprinkled with salt water ^ a whiter 

 flour, though at the same time a greater quantity of bran. It 

 is very evident that " iarina," the name we give to meal, is 

 derived from " far." A modius of meal made from Gallic winter 



^ In other places he says, most unaccountably, that wheat " degenerates 

 intosiligo." 



^^ As to this practice, see c. 29. 



^ " Quam vocant castratam." 



^^ From this account, it would appear that there were twenty-four sex- 

 tarii to the modius ; but the account in general is very contradictory. 



^ Salt water is rarely used for this purpose in modern times. See 

 this passage discussed in Beckraann on Inventions, Sohn's Ed. vol. i. p. 

 164. 



VOL. IV. D 



