72 GRASSES. [class hi. ORnER a. 



of this distribution is, without doubt, liistovical ; for Asia is the native 

 country of rice, and America of maize. In some situations, especially 

 in the neighbourhood of the tropics, wheat is also met with, but always 

 subordinate to these other kinds of grain. Besides rice and maize, 

 there are in tiie torrid zone several kinds of grain, as well as other 

 plants, whicli supply the inhabitants with food, either used along with 

 them or entirely occupying their place. Such are in the New Conti- 

 nent, Yams (Dioscorea alata), the Manihot (Jatropba manihot), and 

 the Batatas (Convolvulus batatas), the root of which and the fruit of 

 the Pisang (Banana, Musca), furnish universal articles of food. In 

 the same zone, in Africa, Doura (Sorghum), Pisang, Manihot, Yams 

 and Arachis hypogtta. In the East Indies, and on the Indian Islands, 

 Eleusine coracana, E. stricta, Panicum frumentaceum ; several Palms 

 and Cycadea", which produce the sago; Pisang, Yams, Batatas, and 

 the Bread-fruit (Artocarpus incisa). In the islands of the South Sea, 

 grain of every kind disappears, its place l)eing supplied l)y the Bread- 

 fruit tree, the Pisang, and Tacea ])innatifida. In the tropical parts of 

 New Holland there is no agriculture, the inhabiiants living on the 

 produce of the Sago, of various Palms, and some species of Arum. 



" In the high lands of South America, there is a distribution similar 

 to that of the degrees of latitude. Maize, indeed, grows to the height 

 of 7,200 feet above the level of the sea, but only predominates betw een 

 3,000 and 6,000 of elevation. Below 3,000 feet it is associated with 

 the Pisang, and the above mentioned vegetables; while from 6,000 to 

 9,260 feet, the European grains abound; wheat in the lower regions, 

 and rye and barley in the higher; along wilh which Chenopodium 

 Quinoa, as a nutritious plant, must also be enumerated. Potatoes 

 alone are cultivated from 9,260 to 12,300 feet. 



" To the south of the tropic of Capricorn, wherever agriculture is 

 practised, considerable resemblance with the northern temperate zone 

 may be observed. In the southern parts of Brazil, in Buenos Ayres, 

 in Chili, at the Cape of Good Hope, and in the temperate zone of New 

 Holland, wheat predominates; barley, however, and rye make their 

 appearance in the southernmost parts of these countries, and in Van 

 Diemen's Land. In New Zealand, the culture of wheat is said to 

 have been tried with success; but the inhabiiants avail themselves of 

 the Acrostichum furcatum as the main article of sustenance. 



" Hence it appears, that, in respect to the predominating kinds of 

 grain, the earth may be divided into five grand divisions or kingdoms — 

 the Kingdom of Rice, of Maize, Wheat and Rye, and lastly, of Barley 

 and Oats. The first three are the most extensive ; the maize has the 

 greatest range of tetnperature ; but rice^ may be said to support the 

 greatest number of the human race." 



Corn, from its inestimable value, has l)een from time immemorial 

 considered the emblem of Riches ; and Ceres, the daughter of Saturn 

 and Ops, has long been its goddess. The broken straw , we are inform- 



