WHEAT. 383 



their corn in their sacrifices ; for the corn 

 thus parched was supposed to be more 

 wholesome and better food than any other. 

 This was so religiously attended to, that in 

 time no other corn was counted pure or good 

 to be used in divine service. The growers 

 of corn in these days were so scrupulous, that 

 they would not so much as taste of new corn 

 before the priest had taken a say of the first 

 fruits. They believed that corn was under 

 the special care of several divinities : Seia 

 watched over it when it was committed to 

 the earth ; it sprang up and ripened with the 

 protection of Segesta or Segetia; and Tutilina 

 took charge of it in the granary. 



At what period wheat was first cultivated 

 in England, we can only conjecture : Caesar 

 found corn growing on the coast, but of what 

 kind we are not informed. But, that with 

 the earliest intercourse with other nations it 

 was brought to Britain, there can be but lit- 

 tle doubt ; and, as the inhabitants became 

 civilized, we may presume they turned their 

 attention to the cultivation of grain, though 

 the frequent wars among themselves must 

 have prevented its being carried to any ex- 

 tent. Indeed, we have many dreadful in- 

 stances of the neglect of agriculture, and the 



