CHAP. XI. KNOWN PLANTS OF ANCIENT EGYPT. Gl 



Remarks. 



Sown middle of August ; cut in 4 months ; but its seed, no longer prolific, 



is all used for bread. 

 Sown when the Nile is at its height, in middle of August, and banked up 



from the inundation: ripens in 120 days. 

 Only in Nubia and the Oases : sown at same time as the Doora. 

 Planted in March, and summer. In good soil, some is gathered the 5th 



month. 

 Gives an oil. Ripens in about 100 days. Sown 10 days after the 



Doora Byood. 

 Sown in April : the first crop in 70 days ; second in 40 ; third in 30 ; 



fourth in 25, in the first year: it is then left without water all the 



winter, and watered again in March. Then the first crop is cut after 



40 days; second in 30; third in 30; and the same in the third year. 



After three years it is renewed from seed. The first year's crop is 



the best. 

 Used for the dye of its leaves. 

 During the rise of the Nile, and in March, on the sandbanks of the 



river. 

 Sown in August. 



Mostly in gardens. Gathered in 50 or 60 days, in September and 

 October. Many other vegetables were raised at diflTerent seasons, by 

 artificial irrication.* 



Having, in the preceding tables, shown the 

 seasons when the principal productions of Egypt 

 were raised, I proceed to enumerate those which 

 appear from good authority to have been grown 

 by the ancient Egyptians. Wheat \ barley ', doora -, 

 peas^?, beans ^ lentils'', Jiommos'^, gilbdn"?, cartha- 



" Exod. ix. 31, .32., and the seed found in the tombs. 



2 The seeds found in the tombs. 



3 Said to be found in the tombs. 



•> Herodot. ii. 37. Diodor. i.89. Plin. xviii. 12. 

 ' Virg. Georg. i. 228. Plin. xviii. 12. " Duo genera ejus in Egypto." 

 Plut. de Is. s. 68. Aul. Gell. xvii. 8., and in the tombs. 



6 Cicer arietinum. 



7 Lathyrus sativus. 



