CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



OAT.-AVENA. 



Natural order, Gramina. A genus of the 

 ^Triandria Digynia class. 



The Romans called this corn Avena ; the 

 Greeks, B.cw^os and Bpopoc, which is supposed 

 to be derived from Qpuo-Kw, comedo. 



We find no mention made of this grain in 

 Scripture, which expressly states that Solo- 

 mon's horses and dromedaries were fed with 

 barley.* From this we conclude, that oats 

 did not grow either in Egypt or Syria ; and 

 it is remarkable that the native place of the 

 Sativa, or common cultivated oat, is still un- 

 known. Anson says, he observed it growing 

 spontaneously in the island of Juan Fernan- 

 dez ; but this is much doubted, and we think 

 that the noble circumnavigator must have 

 been deceived in its appearance, or we should 

 have had confirmations of the account before 

 this period. 



With all his veneration for the works of 



* 1 Kings c. iv. v. 28. 



