20 



CEREALS 



times they observed annually a very ancient custom in which 

 rice grains were planted by the Emperor with appropriate 

 ceremonies in token of its great value to the nation. Finally, 

 in the New World, evidences abound of the cultivation of 

 maize ages before the coming of Columbus. Ears of Indian 

 corn occur along with the most ancient remains in Mexico 

 and Peru. Moreover, the Spanish conquerors found that in 

 Mexico the natives worshiped an agricultural divinity to 



Fici. !l. — Wheat. .1, spikelct of beardless wheat, enlarged. /•', flower with 

 braefs spread. (', D, E, bracts. 6'. pistil with stamens, and a pair of 

 lodicules at base. A'', A"-, kernel. R, racliis. (Baillon.) 



whom they brought the first-fruits of their maize-harvest, 

 just as the Romans brought their offerings of grain to Ceres. 

 17. Earliest use of grains. Although we may be sure 

 that the cultivation of the grains began many years before 

 the time of our earliest records concerning them, we have 

 no means of knowitig how long ago they were first ]3lanted 

 as a croj); nor have we any definite knowledge of how any 

 one of them first came to bo cultivated. Still there is good 

 reason to supjDosc that l)cfore the advantages of planting 

 were discovered, it was the custom to gather the wild grain 

 when it \v;is ripe, just as certain stivage trilies do with other 

 grains at the jjresent da>-. Thus it M'ould happen naturally 



