ENQUIRY INTO PLANTS, VIII. iv. 3-4 



their distinctive names for other reasons, as kankh- 

 rydias stlengys 1 ' Alexandrian ' 2 ; all of which must be 

 distinguished by the above-mentioned 3 characters. 

 Again, if one takes such differences as the following, 

 they are quite characteristic thus some are early, 

 some late, some are vigorous and prolific, some 

 are small 4 and produce little, some have a large, 

 some a small ear. The ears of some remain 5 a 

 long time in the sheath, 6 of some it remains but 

 a short time, as that of the Libyan kind. 7 Again 

 some have a slender, some a stout haulm ; the 

 Libyan kind has this characteristic also, and that 

 of kankhrydias is also stout. Again the grain of 

 some has few coats, 8 of some many, for instance the 

 Thracian. 9 Some kinds have a single f reed,' some 

 more than one, and in the latter class the number 

 varies. 



10 So too must we distinguish any differences like 

 these or those mentioned above which are found in 

 the several capacities ; for these would seem to be 

 the most essential differences. In this connexion 

 we may distinguish kinds which mature in three or 

 in two months, and those, if there be such, which 

 take a less number of days ; for instance, they say 

 that in the region of Aineia there is a kind which 

 ripens and attains perfection within forty days from 

 the time of sowing ; they say too that this grain is 

 strong and heavy, not light like that which takes 

 three months ; wherefore they give it even to the 

 servants, for it also does not contain much bran. 

 Now this kind is the rarest and the quickest to 



5 Hvovrfs conj. W. ; exovres Aid. 



6 c/. 8. 2. 4. 7 Plin. 18. 69. 8 i.e. glumes. 

 fl c/. C.P. 4. 12. 5 j Plin. I.e. 10 Plin. 18. 70. 



169 



