IN EXTRA-TROPICAL COUNTRIES. 307 



and North Europe and Asia. The grain/ moreover, can be 

 reared in poor soil and cold climates, where wheat will no 

 longer thrive. In produce of grain, Rye is not inferior to 

 wheat in colder countries, while the yield of straw is larger, 

 and the culture less exhaustive. It is a hardy 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 were not for the facility to provide 

 human sustenance from this grateful corn. It dislikes moist 

 ground. Sandy soil gives the best grain. It is a very re- 

 markable fact that since ages in some tracts of Europe, Rye 

 has been prolifically cultivated from year to year without in- 

 terruption. In this respect Rye stands favourably alone 

 among alimentary plants. It furnishes in cold countries also 

 the earliest green fodder, and the return is large. Dr. Sonder 

 observed, in cultivated turf -heaths with much humus, that the 

 spikelets produce three or even four fertile florets, and thus 

 each spike will yield up to eighty beautiful seeds. Langethal 

 recommends for argillaceous soils a mixture of early varieties 

 of wheat and rye, the united crops furnishing grain for excel- 

 lent bread. When the Rye-grain becomes attacked by Cordy- 

 ceps purpurea (Fr.), or very similar species of fungi, then it 

 becomes dangerously unwholesome, but then also a very im- 

 portant medicinal substance namely, Ergot is obtained. 

 The biennial Wallachian variety of Rye can be mown or depas- 

 tured prior to the season of its forming grain. In Alpine 

 regions Wallaehian Rye is sown with pine-seeds, for shelter of 

 the pine seedlings in the first year. 



Secale creticum, Linne. 



Though probably only a veriety of S. cereale (L.), it Reserves 

 specially to be mentioned as furnishing a bread of peculiar taste. 



Sechium edule, Swartz. 



West India. The Chocho or Chayota. The large starchy 

 root of this climber can be consumed as a culinary vegetable, 

 while the good-sized fruits are also edible. The fruit often 

 germinates before it drops. The plant bears already in the 

 first year and may ripen one hundred fruits in a year. The 

 roots are starchy. The plant comes to perfection in the warmer 

 parts of the temperate zone. 



Selinum anesorrhizum, F. v. Meller. (Anesorrhiza Capensis, Ch. 



and Schl.) 

 South Africa. The root of this biennial herb is edible. A. 



