130 THE CHRISTIAN NATURALIST. 



sort of grain, of which the purest, most savoury and 

 wholesome bread is made, is patient of both extremes, 

 heat and cold, growing, and bringing its seed to ma- 

 turity, not only in the temperate countries, but also on 

 one hand in the cold and Northern, i. e. Scotland, Den- 

 mark, &c. on the other in the hottest and most Southerly, 

 as Egypt, Barbary, Mauritania, the East Indies, Guinea, 

 Madagascar, &c. scarce refusing any climate.'* 



It is not a little remarkable tliat the original country 

 from whence this beneficial plant was derived is now 

 unknown. The same may be observed of the most 

 valuable grasses. It appears that wheat and millet, 



though not of the same' species as now cultivated in this 



» 

 country, have been found in hilly situations in the East 



Indies.f Like the potato e, however, of which Hum- 

 boldt declares that the true original country is totally 

 unknown ; a blessing seems to have been reserved for 



*0n the fertility of wheat, * Pliny remarks,' says Ray, * that 

 nothing is more fruitful than wheat ; Augustus's procurator sent 

 hira from Africa nearly 400 ears springing from one grain, and 

 to Nero were sent from thence 360. If Pliny a heathen could make 

 this fertility of wheat argumentative of the bounty of God to 

 mankind, surely it ought not to be passed over by us Christians 

 without notice taking and thanksgiving. — Third Edition p. 126. 



t Loudon's Encyclopaedia of Gardening, p. 203. 



