IMPHEE. 21 
production of sugar. The early history of these varieties 
is buried in profound obscurity, although there is reason to 
believe that some of the saccharine sorghums are alluded 
to in the writings of the old authors. In reference to this, 
Mr. Wray observes : 
“If we look back’ from our own times to very remote 
ages, and search for any very authentic records of the im- 
phee, or Holcus saccharatus, among the writings of ancient 
authors, we must confess the unsatisfactory results of our 
inquiry; for the notices of the ‘sweet reed’ contained in 
their writings have long ago been seized by Porter and 
other authors, and appropriated by them as forming part 
and parcel of the history of the sugar cane. 
“ But if we examine somewhat minutely into the matter, 
we shall find abundant reason for believing that the Holeus 
saccharatus was frequently alluded to, instead of the sugar 
cane, more especially by the Roman writers; thus Lucien 
(Book iii. page 237) has the line— 
‘¢«Quique bibunt tenera dulces ab arundine succos,’* 
which can scarcely be supposed to apply to the large, 
coarse, hard stalk of the sugar cane. 
‘Besides this, we all know that the Romans had a very 
excellent general knowledge of the products of Ethiopia, 
in which varieties of the Holcus saccharatus are to be 
found ; and they, no doubt, knew that the natives ate, or 
rather chewed its stalks, for the ‘sweet juices’ contained in 
them. 
“The native traders, who took a coarse kind of goor or 
jaggery to Muciris and Ormus, always said that they ob- 
tained it from a ‘reed ;’ and I have no doubt that they did 
really obtain it from this reed-like plant.” 
* “ And those who drink sweet juices from the tender reed.” 
