10 CULTIVATED VEGETABLES. 



Incitatus, his favourite horse, with gilt oats 

 out of a golden cup. 



Whether we look upon oats as a degene- 

 rated grain, a natural species of corn, or a 

 grass brought to this state of perfection by 

 the industry and ingenuity of man, we must 

 acknowledge it as a peculiar blessing to this 

 country, and holding a rank next to that of 

 wheat and barley. To the northern parts of 

 these kingdoms its importance is primary, 

 as no soil is found either too rich or too poor, 

 too hot or too cold, for its cultivation ; and 

 in these colder parts of our country, where 

 the harvest is often retarded until the wet 

 season sets in, which would entirely spoil 

 other grain, this corn is safely housed with- 

 out danger of spoiling, the husks and straw 

 being of so dry a nature, that they neither 

 heat nor become mouldy in the mow. 



" Oats for their feast the Scottish shepherds grind, 



■>■> 



and it is from this grain that they procure, 

 what their own poet calls, in his Cotter's 

 Saturday's Night, 



" The halesome parritch, chief o' Scotia's food." 



Burns. 



The oaten cakes and crowdy of Scotland 

 afforded the principal nourishment to the 



