XI 



northern 'parts of Norway and Sweden, of a part of Siberia and 

 Scotland, their chief vegetable nourishment. 



"Rye is the next grain which becomes associated with these. 

 This is the prevailing corn in a great part of the northern tem- 

 perate zone, namely, in the south of Sweden and Norway, Denmark, 

 and in all the lands bordering on the Baltic, the north of Germany, 

 and part of Siberia. In the latter another very nutritious grain 

 (not a grass). Buckwheat, is very frequently cultivated. In the zone 

 where Rye prevails. Wheat is also generally to be found. Barley 

 being here chiefly cultivated for the manufacture of beer, and Oats 

 supplying food for horses. 



"To these there follows a zone in Europe and Western Asia, 

 where Rye lessens, or disappears, and Wheat almost exclusively 

 furnishes bread. The middle and south of France, England, part 

 of Scotland, a part of Germany, Hungary, the Crimea, and Cau- 

 casus, as also the lands of Central Asia where agriculture is followed, 

 belong to this zone. Here the vine is also found (that is, on the 

 continent) ; wine supplants the use of beer, and Barley is conse- 

 quently less raised. 



"Next comes a district where Wheat still abounds, but no 

 longer exclusively furnishes bread; Rice and Maize becoming 

 frequent. To this zone belong Portugal, Spain, part of France on 

 the Mediterranean, Italy, and Greece ; further, the countries of 

 the East, Persia, Northern India, Arabia, Egypt, Nubia, Barbary, 

 and the Canary Islands; in these latter countries, however, the 

 culture of Maize or Rice, towards the south, is always more con- 

 siderable ; and in some of them several kinds of Sorghum (Indian 

 and African Millet), and Poa Ahyssinica, come to be added. In 

 both these regions of Wheat, Rye only occurs at considerable ele- 

 vations ; Oats, however, more seldom, and at last entirely disappear ; 

 Barley affording food for horses and mules. 



" In the eastern parts of the temperate zone of the old continent, 

 in China, and Japan, our northern kinds of grain are very unfre- 



b 2 



