410 FOREST CULTURE AND 
cereal, not readily subject to disease, and can be grown 
on some kinds of peaty or sandy or moory ground. 
The sowing must not be effected at a period of much 
wetness. Wide sand - tracts would be uninhabitable 
if it was not for the facility to provide human sus- 
tenance from this grateful corn. It dislikes moist 
ground. Sandy soil gives the best grain. It isa very 
remarkable fact that, since ages, in some tracts of 
Europe, rye has been prolifically cultivated from year 
to year, without interruption. In this respect rye 
stands favorably alone among alimentary plants. It 
furnishes, in cold countries, also, the earliest green 
fodder, and the return is large. When the rye-grain 
becomes attacked by Cordyceps purpurea, Fr., or very 
similar species of fungi, then it becomes dangerously 
unwholesome; but then also a very important medici- 
nal substance, namely, ergot, is obtained. The bien- 
nial Wallachian variety of rye can be mown or depas- 
tured prior to the season of its forming grain. In 
alpine regions Wallachia rye is sown with pine-seeds, 
for shelter of the pine seedlings in the first year. 
Sechium edula, Swartz. — West India. The Cho- ~ 
cho, or Chayota. The large root of this climber can 
be consumed as a culinary vegetable, while the good- 
sized fruits are also edible. The plant comes, in cli- 
mates like ours, to perfection. 
Selinum anesorrhizum, F. v. M. (Anesorrhiza Ca- 
pensis, Ch. and Schl.) — South Africa. The root of 
this biennial herb is edible. A. montana, Eckl. and 
Zeyh., a closely allied plant, yields likewise an edible 
root; and so it is with a few other species of the sec- 
tion Anesorrhiza. 
Sesamum Indicum, L.—The Gingili. Southern 
