No. 153] 289 



Pliny, not long after, said that the trioiestrian (beliewni to be 

 a spring wheat) is the best ; that its name means three months. 

 Of the manifold variety we only need about four kinds of bearded j 

 and two or throe beardless. 



As to the kinds cultivated in the United Stafes, the fine sorts, 

 which so well succeeded in England and northern Europe, gene- 

 rally very often fail with us, owing to their being slow in matur 

 ing, which "render them liable to rust and mildew. Wheat from 

 southern Europe and the Mediterranean seems to be best adapted 

 to our climate, for they ripen very early., A red Mediterranean 

 wheat is now extensively cultivated here, and has improved in 

 quality for flouring. Millers who at first objected to it, and would 

 only take it at a reduced price when it first appeared, now pay 

 the same as for other red wheat ; and it is said of it, that it has 

 suffered less than all others from the Hessian fly, that terrible 

 scourge of American wheat. 



We add some notices of grasses resembling wheat : 



Melampyrus, or black wheat, is a branched, spreading annual 

 plant, 12 to 18 inches high, the seeds of which resemble wheat in 

 shape and color, but turn black in drying. There are four kinds 

 of it in England. 



1 . Crested Cow wheat — Grows in woods and thickets, and some- 

 ' times in wheat-fields, flowers in July. 



2. Purple Cow wheat— Like the former, flowers in July, grows 

 in wheat-fields, stem a foot and a half high, purple color and stem 

 gharply angular, flowers large, is well worthy of cultivation, ought 

 to be named Melampyrus sativum, instead of Avernse ; "that is. 

 Worthy of being planted, instead of running wild. 



3. Common Yellow Cow wheat — Very common in. woods and 

 bnshy places, especially on clay or loamy soil, flowers in July and 



Vugust ; cows very fond of it, and Linnaeus said tha* the best and 

 yellowest butter was made where it was plenty. 



4. Wood Cow wheat — General habits like No. 8; two or three 

 species of it are in our country. 



[Assembly, No 133. | 1.9 



