AND OF THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES. 



43 



ON THE ORIGINAL COUNTRY OF THE CEREALIA, ESPECIALLY OF 

 WHEAT AND BARLEY NO. I, 



The period when Corn first bej^an to be cultivated for food to Man, marks an im- 

 portant era in the progress of civilization, and in the happiness of the human race. 

 Yet this time, so interesting to the inquirer, is enveloped in the darkness of anti- 

 quity ; and it is only by a careful comparison of opposite probabilities, that we can 

 arrive at a satisfactory conclusion regarding the time of that Aurora of civilization 

 which marked its introduction. 



It is very difficult to determine the native country of the Cerealia, upon principles 

 purely Botanical, because these plants have been cultivated in all civilized countries 

 from time immemorial. Also, we find from the universal experience of the Agri- 

 culturist, that Wheat and Barley will perpetuate themselves for two years in our cli- 

 mate after a first tillage, and yet they will die out in the third year. Oats have been 

 observed to grow wild in parts of the woods at Boulogne, which had been occupied 

 by foreign armies, so long as from 1815 to 1819, and then perished. They were 

 also found near the ponds of Auteuil, and along the walls on the road to Neuilly. 

 This same species of Oats {Avena sativa) was carried by the Europeans to Rio de la 

 Plata, and there becoming wild, perpetuated itself for more than forty years without 

 any cultivation. This curious fact is stated by I\I. A. de Saint Hllaire, who resided 

 for six years in that country. Those Botanists, therefore, who fancied that they 

 had discovered, in various places, the native country of the Cerealia, from finding 

 them growing wild, should have remained there a sufficient time to examine carefully 

 whether they continued to grow by spontaneous reproduction for a long course of 



As we cannot hope for a satisfactory solution of this question from the mere exa* 

 mination of Nature, we must resort to the most ancient traditions. It is requisite to 

 compare the most ancient sculpiurcs with the passages of the Bible. We must con- 

 trast the accounts of the origin and migrations of the worship of Ceres, which was 

 probably nothing but the migrations of these plants, with the figures of the spike of 

 corn represented upon the zodiacs in the sign Virgo, and with the grains themselves 

 foimd in the tombs of Theber-. We may then arrive at a satisfactory result, by 

 applying that rule of criticism proposed by Humboldt, Robert Brown, and other 

 eminent botanists,-— tliat when the native country of a cultivated species is un- 

 known, we must regard that as the probable place of its nativity, where we find in- 

 digenous the greatest number ot' known species belonging to the same genus. 



In this way we may circumscribe, within a small zone, the district where the 

 Cereaha must have originally sprung. 



The common Wheat (Tritivum kibernum and Triticnm astivuin)., as well as Bar- 

 ley (Hordeuvi vulgare^ hexa&iichon^-, are often destroyed by frosts in our climate 

 and on the neighbouring continent. They neither grow in equatorial countries of a 

 medium elevation, nor beyond the tropics at any great height above the level of the 

 sea. From these circumstance^, we may infer that the native country of these plants 

 was in the temperate zone, an*-'. uF no great elevation. 



We know positively that they do not reproduce spontaneously, either in the Old or 

 New Continent, or in any pkce where Europeans have carried their colonies and 

 cultivated this grain, so necessary to the progress of civiHzation and the happiness 

 of society. 



It may also be inferred that the Cereaha do not exist in the wild state in those ex- 

 tensive countries inhabited by ribes of Hunters or Shepherds; for these people would 

 assuredly have changed a precarious and uncertain subsistence for an agreeable tood, 

 which yields an abundant rctu.n, and which would increase their population, concen- 

 trate their power, and ensure llic existence as well as happiness of their families. 



The ^Egyptians, Hebrews, Greeks, and many other nations of Asia and Europe, 

 afford examples of this transitt ,n from the Pastoral to the Agricultural state, as soon 

 as they had discovered the Cerealia, or that these had been introduced into their 

 country. 



We shall attempt to prov.* that, according to the most ancient monuments of 

 .Egyptian history, it was at ^ysa or Bethsane, in the valley of the Jordan, that Isis 

 and Osiris found the Wheat, 'he Barley, and the Vine growing wild. 



It is proper, in the first place, to ascertain the situation of the city of Nysa. 

 Homer is the most ancient writer who mentions it. " There is a town of Nysa, situ- 

 ate upon a lofty mountain covi^red with flowering trees, rather farther from Phoenicia 

 than from the waters of jEgypt." This passage, quoted by Diodorus, and four others 

 from the latter writer, fix, vith considerable precision, that Nysa lay between the 

 Nile and Piioenieia. Pliny is more precise ; he places Nysa or Scythopolis in Pales- 

 tine, on the borders of Arabi.i. Stephen of Byzantium relates the same thing; and 

 Josephus informs us that this town of Nysa, called by the Greeks Scythopolis, was in 

 his time styled Bethsane, and was situate in the middle of a plain, beyond the Jordan. 



The position of this city is thus laid down by the text of Diodorus, Pliny, Josephus, 

 and Stephanus. It seems aUo that Nysa, Scythopolis, and Bethsane, are the same 

 city. At the time of Osiris, and even in that of Diodorus, the boundaries of Arabia 

 were as usual very loosely defined on the north and west ; and that portion of Pales- 

 tine, adjoining Arabia, was often included with Syria by one writer, and with the 

 peninsula of Arabia by anotlier. In the ancient history of Java, according to Sir 

 Stamford Raffles, Barley is mentiond to have been imported under the name of Jawa 

 nusa. The similarity of those names is striking. 



But there is another hisf orical fact which confirms the position of Nysa in the 

 neighbourhood of Palestine. Osiris, or the Egyptian Bacchus, whom Diodorus and 

 the best informed of the Gii-eks regarded as the same king, found the Vine growing 

 wild, and entwined round the largest trees near Nysa. It was also in the land of 

 Canaan that Noah discoverel the Vine. Moses alludes particularly (Numb. c. xiii.) 

 to the size of the bunches ol' Grape in the neighbourhood of Hebron; and it is well 

 known that the Vine is a small shrub, inclining in general towards the basin of the 

 Mediterranean. It does rot grow wild in Ethiopia, nor in Arabia Proper, nor in 

 jSIgypt ; but though it has been found in Armenia and Madagascar, these situations 

 are foreign to our preserit purpose. 



Thus, the Sacred Scriptures, the ancient history of the Egyptians, and Natural 



History agree upon this important point, — that Agriculture commenced in Palestine. 

 It was here that Wheat, Barley, and the Vine were first cultivated, and the latter was 

 transported to ^gypt by Osiris. These facts follow necessarily from the geographi- 

 cal position of Nysa, determined as above. 



It appears, then, that Isis and Osiris discovered Wheat, Barley, and the Vine 

 growing wild in the Valley of the Jordan, that they transported it to -^gypt, demon- 

 strated its utility, and taught its culture. 



'^ The .Egyptian history assures us," says Diodorus, " that Osiris, originally from 

 Nysa, situate in the fertile Arabia, loved Agriculture, and found the Vine in the 

 neighbourhood of Nysa. This shrub was wild, very abundant, and hung generally 

 from trees." — '* It was there also," he adds, " that Isis discovered "SMieat and Barley, 

 pre\-iously growing wild in the country among the other plants unknown to Man." 

 ^Diod. Sic. L 1, c. 14 and 21. 



One of the first fruits of this valuable discovery was the cessation of those horrid 

 feasts of Cannibalism, which had hitherto prevailed in iEgj'pt. Instead of these re- 

 volting spectacles, processions with sheafs of Corn and vases filled with Wheat and 

 Bnrley, served to perpetuate its memory. Diodorus quotes some writers which mention 

 that there existed at Nysa a monument inscribed with Hieroglyphics, which served to 

 perpetuate this discovery of Isis. It bore this inscription, *' I am the queen of all 

 this country. I am the wife and sister of Osiris. I taught mortals first to know the 

 use of Coi-n, I am her who rises in the constellation of the Dog. Rejoice, iEgypt, 

 my nurse." 



It is in Palestine, according to Genesis, c. iv, that the Cerealia were discovered, and 

 that Agriculture commenced. 



Moses recalls to the memory of the Hebrews this circumstance, which ought to have 

 made the Promised Land still more dear to them. 



*' For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, 

 of fountains, a land of Wheat, Barley, and Vines, Fig-trees and Pomegranates, aland 

 of Oil-olive, and Honey, — whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest 

 dig cut brass (copper)." — Deut. viii. 7. 



It is in Palestine that Noah found the Vine (Genesis, ix. 20, 21). It was like- 

 wise the country of Bitumen (Genesis, vi. 4). This same Palestine, the land of 

 the Wheat and Barley, is represented in the Bible as the country or situation of 

 the Cedar of Lebanon, of the Balm-tree (^Amyris opobalsannivi'), of the Egg-plant 

 (^Sola7ium vieloyigena), of the Date- Palm, and of the Sycamore- Fig. It is also the 

 country of the Dromedary, the Jackal, the Deer, the Jerboa^ the Lion, the Bear, 

 and the Gazelle. Thus far the Hebrew and ^Egyptian histories entirely agree as to 

 the origin of the Cerealia and of the Vine. 



We shall now see whether Palestine, according to the most ancient records, unites 

 these conditions. Although the origin of the Cerealia may remain unknown; yet if 

 the country or habitat of these ditTorcnt species of indigenous Animals, Vegetables, 

 and Minerals have been correctly stated, one term of the proposition becomes known, 

 and it is then easy to eliminate the remainder. 



Anomai.t in Grates In a garden at Fernay, a magnificent and solitary cluster 



of white grapes has been propagated from a vine, which has hitherto produced, and 

 continues to bear, black grapes only. 



MINERALOGY. 



ExTRAORDiN'AKY APPLICATION OF Gas. — Mr Smith, who gave evidence before 

 the Parliamentary Committee appointed to report upon accidents in mines from gas, 

 in speaking of the coal mines of Nova Scotia, says, *' When we first struck the coal 

 at the depth of 180 feet, it was highly charged with water; — the water flew out in 

 all directions with considerable violence; — it produced a kind of mineral fermentation 

 immediately. The outburst of the coal crossed the lai-ge river which passed near the 

 coal-pit. We were not aware of the precise outcrop, on account of a strong clay 

 paste, eight to ten yards thick. It is rather difficult to find the outburst of coal, 

 where the clay paste is thickly spread over a country. At the river, the water boiled 

 similarly to that of a steam-engine boiler, with the same kind of rapidity ; so that, on 

 putting flame to it on a calm day, it would spread over the river, like what is com- 

 monly termed setting the Thames on fire ; — it often reminded me of the saying. It 

 is very common for the females, the workmen's wives and daughters, to go down to 

 the river with the washing they have to perform for their famiUes. After digging a hole 

 in the side of the river, about ten or twelves inches deep, they would fill it with pebble 

 stones, and then put a candle to it, — by this means they had plenty of boiling water 

 without further trouble, or the expense of fuel. It would burn for weeks or months, 

 unless put out. I mention this to show how highly charged the coal was with gas. 

 WTiat I am now going to describe may be worth a little attention. There was no 

 extraordinary boiling of the water or rising of the gas, before we cut the coal at the 

 bottom of the pit, more than is usually discernable in a common pond of stagnant 

 water, when a long stick is forced into the mud. As soon as the coal was struck at 

 the depth of 180 feet, it appeared to throw the whole coal mine into a state of regular 

 mineral fermentation. The gas roared as the miner struck the coal with his pick. 

 It would often go off like the report of a pistol, and at times I have seen it burst 

 pieces of coal off the solid wall ; so that it could not be a very lightly charged mine 

 under such circumstances. The noise which the gas and water made in issuing from 

 tho coal, was like an hundred thousand snakes hissing at each other." 



Mercurt Mines of Aj.metda. — Almeyda is situate in Beira, Portugal, on the 

 Spanish frontier. Its mines are very ancient, for it is recorded by Pliny that tho 

 Greeks extracted vermillion from them seven hundred years before the Christian 

 era. .The Romans procured from them annually 100,000 livres value of Cinnabar. 



Such is their present flourishing condition, that 22,000 quintals of mercury arc 

 annually taken from them, and 700 men are constantly employed in mining, 200 

 in extracting the ore, besides a great number of Muleteers, in conveying the mercury 

 to Seville. The veins are so rich, that although these mines have been worked for 

 ages, the mining has only been extended to the depth of 300 vaxas^ or 300 French 



