396 The GraininecB under Economic Aspects. [Sess. 



It is the principal cereal crop of Europe and North America, 

 besides many other countries. As in most of the cereals, the 

 wild prototype is unknown, or at least very doubtfully 

 known. 



It is now recognised that man's existence on this earth 

 extends back to a period vastly more remote than was 

 formerly supposed, — to an age when his reasoning power 

 would be little more than what we call instinct. One can 

 observe how instinct guides the animal world in the selection 

 of its food, and it is not too much to deduce that man, in the 

 early times of his race, would not only observe what plants 

 other creatures fed on, but what could be made useful to 

 himself. To avoid long journeys he in time would plant 

 them near his abode, and by selection take the first step in 

 cultivation. In tropical countries, with their luxuriance of 

 vegetation, such efforts would be unnecessary, hence we find 

 that intellectual development has been slower in these parts 

 than in colder climes. It is now generally agreed that 

 none of our cereals exist or have existed wild in their present 

 state. We know that at the remote period of the Lake- 

 dwellings of Switzerland man was sufficiently civilised to 

 cultivate a Triticum, a Hordeum, a Panicum, or a Setaria. 

 Wheat was the chief crop of ancient Egypt and Palestine. 

 The area under wheat in this country is decreasing rapidly, 

 for we cannot compete with countries having a more 

 favourable summer, with less burdens on land and cheaper 

 transit. 



The countries from which we obtain the largest supplies 

 of wheat are the United States, Canada, Argentina, Eussia, 

 and India. The importation varies considerably each year, 

 on account of the respective harvests and relative fiscal 

 considerations. The importation from the United States of 

 America is declining because of their increasing home con- 

 sumption. In comparing the relative consumption of wheat 

 per head of population, we find France takes the premier 

 position, followed by Belgium, the United States, Britain, 

 Italy, Austria, &c. Semolina and macaroni are articles of 

 food produced from wheat. 



Next to wheat, Barley is our most important cereal. All 

 varieties are probably derived from Hordeum distichum, which 



