BOOK XVIir. XV. 75-.\vii. 77 



of the most fanious authorities on medical science, 

 has devoted one wliole book to its jiraises. Utica 

 barley-water is of outstanding (juality. There is a 

 Idnd in Egypt niade of thc double-pointed grain. 

 The kind of barley used for making this drink 

 in Andalusia and Africa is called by Turranius 

 smooth barley. The same authority is of opinion 

 that olyra,'^ and oryza (i-ice) are the same plant. 

 The recipe for making barley-water is universally 

 known. 



XVI. Hulled-wheat grain is used in a similar way '"^tarch. 

 for making pap, at all events in Campania and in 

 Egypt ; XVII. and starch is made froni every kind of 

 wheat and conimon wheat,* but the bcst from three- 

 month wheat. For its discovery we are indebted to the 

 islarid of Chios, and that is where the best kind comes 

 froni to-dav. Its name "^ is Greek, and means ' made 

 without milling '. Next to the starch made from 

 three-month wheat is the kind made of the Ughtest 

 sort of wheat. This is soaked with fresh water in 

 woodcn tubs, with the grain completely covered, 

 the water being changcd five times in the course of 

 a day, and preferably in the night time as well, so 

 as to get it mixed up evenly with the grain. When 

 it is quite soft but before it goes sour it is strained 

 through Hnen or wicker baskets and poured out on 

 a tiled surface that has been smeared with leaven, 

 and left to thicken in the sun. Next to the 

 starch of Chios that from Crete is most highly 

 spoken of; and then comes the Egyptian kind. 

 The test of its qualitv is smooth consistency and 

 Hght weight, and the condition of being fresh. 

 It has nioreover b<en mentioned already by Cato*^ 

 among ourselves. 



239 



