52 CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



We find that the Romans obtained barley 

 from Egypt and other parts of Africa, and 

 Spain. It was also grown in France, as Colu- 

 mella calls one variety of barley Galaticum. 

 There are no means of ascertaining whether 

 barley was cultivated in Britain, when the 

 Romans first discovered this country ; but as 

 Caesar found corn growing on the coast of 

 Kent, it is probable that this species of grain 

 had been obtained from Gaul. It might 

 have been introduced by the Phoenicians in 

 exchange for British tin. The Romans 

 knew perfectly well that corn was as easily 

 obtained in cold as in warm climes ; and it 

 is remarked by Pliny, as a phenomenon, that 

 extreme heat and cold have the same effect 

 in producing corn. Thracia is, he says, ex- 

 ceedingly cold, and thereby plentiful in corn : 

 Egypt and other parts of Africa are hot, 

 and yet abound in corn, although not so 

 copiously. 



We know from good authorities, that the 

 Romans soon procured corn in England, and 

 were even enabled to send it thence to 

 Italy. 



It is not within the limits of this work to 

 go into the detail of the cultivation of corn, 

 which has been so properly attended to by 



