Chap. 30.] 



LEGUMINOUS PLANTS. 43 



was impossible to make their alica without the help of this 

 mineral. In the same hill, sulphur is found as well, and the 

 springs of Araxus issue from its declivities, the waters of which 

 are particularly efficacious for strengthening the sight, healing 

 wounds, and preventing the teeth from becoming loose. 



A spurious kind of alica is made, more particularly of a de- 

 generate kind of zea grown in Africa ; the ears of it are larger 

 and blacker than those of the genuine kind, and the straw is 

 short. This grain is pounded with sand, and even then it is 

 with the greatest difficulty that the outer coats are removed ; 

 when stripped, the grain fills one half only of the original 

 measure. Gypsum, in the proportion of one fourth, is then 

 sprinkled 44 over it, and after the mixture has been well incor- 

 porated, it is bolted through a meal-sieve. The portion that 

 remains behind, after this is done, is known as " excepticia," 4 * 

 and consists of the coarser parts ; while that which has passed 

 through is submitted to a second process, with a finer sieve ; 

 and that which then refuses to pass has the name ^of " secun- 

 daria." 46 That, again, which, in a similar manner, is submitted 

 to a third sifting, with a sieve of the greatest fineness, which 

 will only admit of sand passing through it, is known as " cri- 

 braria," 47 when it remains on the top of the sieve. 



There is another method, again, that is employed every 

 where for adulterating it. They pick out the whitest and 

 largest grains of wheat, and parboil them in earthen pots ; these 

 are then dried in the sun till they have regained their original 

 size, after which they are lightly sprinkled with water, and 

 then ground in a mill. A better granaeum 48 is made from zea 

 than from wheat, although it is nothing else, in fact, but a 

 spurious alica : it is whitened by the addition of boiled milk, 

 in place of chalk. 



CHAP. 30. (12.) THE LEGUMINOUS PLANTS : THE BEAN. 



We now come to the history of the leguminous plants, 

 among which the place of honour must be awarded to the 



44 F6e enquires, and with good reason, how the ^ African mixture ac- 

 commodated itself to the stomachs of those who ate it. 

 Residue. 4G Seconds. 



47 Sieve flour. 



A porridge or pap, made of ground grain. It is mentioned hy 



Cato 



A por 

 , c. 86. 



