Chap. 73.] THK METHODS OF STOKING CORN". 105 



being made of brick, and not less than three 3 feet thick ; the 

 corn, they say, should be let in from above, the air bei rig- 

 carefully excluded, and no windows allowed. Others, again, 

 say that the granary should have an aspect in no direction but 

 the north-east or north, and that the walls should be built 

 without lime, that substance being extremely injurious 4 to 

 corn ; as to what we find recommended in reference to am urea 

 of olives, we have already mentioned it on a former 6 occasion. 

 In some places they build their granaries of wood, and upon 

 pillars, 6 thinking it the best plan to leave access for the air on 

 every side, and from below even. Some persons think, how- 

 ever, that the grain diminishes in bulk if laid on a floor above 

 the level of the ground, and that it is liable to ferment beneath 

 a roof of tiles. Many persons say, too, that the grain should 

 never be stirred up to air 7 it, as the weevil is never known to 

 penetrate beyond four fingers in depth ; consequently, beyond 

 that depth there is no danger. According to Columella, 8 the 

 west wind is beneficial to grain, a thing that surprises me, as 

 that wind is generally a very parching 9 one. Some persons 

 recommend that, before housing the corn, a bramble-frog 

 should be hung up by one of the hind legs at the threshold of 

 the granary. To me it appears that the most important pre- 

 caution of all is to house the grain at the proper time; for if 

 it is unripe when cut, arid not sufficiently firm, or if it is got 

 in in a heated state, it follows of necessity that noxious in- 

 sects will breed in it. 



There are several causes which contribute to the preserva- 

 tion of grain ; the outer 10 coats in some kinds are more nu- 

 merous, as in millet, for instance ; the juices are of an olea- 

 ginous nature, 11 and so supply ample moisture, as in sesame, 

 for example ; while in other kinds, again, they are naturally 



3 Palladius, i. 19, says two feet. 



4 On account of the damp. Columella, however, recommends a mix- 

 ture of sand, lime, and marc of olives for the floor; B. i. c. 6. 



5 InB. xv. c. 8. 



6 This is still done in the Valais, and lias the great merit of preserving 

 the corn from house and field-mice. 



7 " Ventilare." On the contrary, the weevil penetrates deep, and does 

 not keep near the surface. 



De Re Rust. ii. 21. 9 See B. ii. c. 48. 



10 Those keep the best, Fee says, which have a farinaceous perisperni. 

 Millet has but one coat 



11 This, in reality, would tend to make them turn rancid all the sooner. 



