130 



GRASSES OF IOWA. 



grows wild in Asia Minor and 

 Caucasian countries to Persia 

 and Beloochistan as well as 

 Syria and Palestine. 



Wheat. Ti'iticum sativum, 

 Lam. — The only form known 

 in a wild condition is the T. 

 monococcum, L. Cultivated 

 wheat is prehistoric. Sev- 

 eral of the forms are of great 

 antiquity. The ancient Egyp- 

 tian monuments contain abun- 

 dant specimens of wheat. The 

 Chinese grew^ wheat 2,7C0 

 years before Christ. The 

 Hebrew scriptures contain 

 records of prehistoric wheat. 

 Wheat was frequently used by 

 the Lake Dwellers of west 

 Switzerland.* 



The Polish wheat, Triticum 

 polonicum, a form obtained by 

 cultivation, probably origi- 

 nated in modern times. The 

 Spelts, Triticum spelta, prob- 

 ably was cultivated to some extent by the ancient Romans and 

 Greeks, but there is some question in regard to it. T. rnon- 

 ococcuMi was probably anciently cultvated, siince it is mentioned 

 by some of the ancient writers. The seeds were found among 

 the Swiss Lake Dwellers. The Romans did not cultivate it. 

 It is probable tha it was introduced from Asia Minor to Spain, 

 and from there to France and Germany. 



Oats. Avena sativa, L. — This is a comparatively modern 

 plant. It certainly was not cultivated by the Egyptians or 

 Hebrews, nor was it cultivated very anciently in India, as 

 there is no Sanskrit name for the plant. Its cultivation in 

 India is carried on chiefly by the English. The ancient Greeks 

 knew it by the name of Bromus and the Romans, Avena. 

 Pliny 's remark that the Germans lived on oatmeal seems to 

 show that its cultivation was carried on north of Italy and 

 Greece. Apparently it later became diffused to the south in 



•De Oandolle. Origin of Cult. PI. 435. 



f~ Fig. 69 RB. 1, English wheat, THticum 

 sativum titryidnm. 2, Flint wheat, Triticum 

 iatiimm durum. (After Haokel.) 



