22 PLINY'S NATURAL HISTOET. [Book XVIII. 



stalk like that of the reed. This stalk springs up to the height 

 of seven feet, and has tufts of a remarkable size, known by the 

 name of " phobse." 8 This is the most prolific of all the cereals, 

 for from a single grain no less than three sextarii 9 are pro- 

 duced : it requires, however, to be sown in a humid soil. 



Some kinds of corn begin to form the ear at the third joint, 

 and others at the fourth, though at its first formation the ear 

 remains still concealed. Wheat, however, has four 10 articula- 

 tions, spelt 11 six, and barley eight. In the case of these last, 

 the ear does not begin to form before the number of joints, as 

 above mentioned, is complete. Within four or five days, at 

 the very latest, after the ear has given signs of forming, the 

 plant begins to flower, and in the course of as many days or a 

 little more, sheds its blossom : barley blossoms at the end of 

 seven days at the very latest. Yarro says that the grains are 

 perfectly formed at the end of four times 12 nine days from their 

 flowering, and are ready for cutting at the ninth month. 



The bean, again, first appears in leaf, and then throws out 

 a stalk, which has no articulations 13 upon it. The other legu- 

 minous plants have a tough, ligneous stalk, and some of them 

 throw out branches, the chick-pea, the fitch, and the lentil, 

 for instance. In some of the leguminous plants, the pea, for 

 example, the stem creeps along the ground, if care is not taken 

 to support it by* sticks : if this precaution is omitted, the 

 quality is deteriorated. The bean and the lupine are the only 

 ones among the leguminous plants that have a single stem : in 

 all the others the stem throws out branches, being of a lig- 

 neous nature, very thin, and in all cases hollow. Some of 

 these plants throw out the leaves from the root, others at the 

 top. 14 Wheat, barley, and the vetch, all the plants, in fact, 

 which produce straw, have a single leaf only at the summit : 

 in barley, however, this leaf is rough, while in the others it 



8 From the Greek 0o/3^. The stalk and husk of the sorgho is covered 

 with a fine down. The reading " cx>rnis " has heen adopted. 



9 This is considered by Fee to be very improbable. 



1 In reality these vary, according to the rapidity of the growth. 



11 Strictly speaking, spelt has seven. 



12 This depends upon the time when it is sown, and numerous other cir- 

 cumstances. 



13 Strictly speaking, he is right ; but still there is a swelling in the 

 stalk, to be perceived at the points where the leaves take their rise. 



u This is incorrect ; they all of them throw out leaves from the root. 



