736 
THE PRINCIPLES OF BOTANY. 
ing or female parts, and distinct stamens or male organs, 
others have complete flowers. Indian corn is an example of 
the first, and the greater part of our meadow grasses are 
represented by the second. 
Again the seeds of some grasses are so small, that they are 
of little economic value, except as being capable of repro- 
ducing the plant; while others are grown principally for the 
enlarged grain, which, containing a quantity of starch and 
nitrogen, are grown for their seeds, which is termed corn or 
grain. In America maize is only called corn, while the corn 
of the English farmer is individually called by its name of 
wheat, oats, barley, &c., whilst everywhere the farmer con- 
siders even peas and beans as corn crops, on the principle 
that they are grown for their seeds alone. 
This shows us clearly that, with reference to grasses, two 
great divisions must he understood at starting ; these by 
common consent have been distinguished as follows : 
1. Cereal Grasses . — Those grown principally for their 
seeds. 
2. Pasture Grasses . — Those grown mostly for their 
herbage. 
I. Cereal Grasses. — As these are said to be the gift of 
the pagan goddess Ceres, we may, at starting, be prepared for 
some degree of hesitation as to their origin. They are very 
ancient, and have, indeed, been known to man from the very 
earliest times. Thus the tombs of Egypt have revealed to us 
the presence of wheat, differing little, if any, from that of the 
present day. Nay, a sort of wheat is known to agriculture 
called “ mummy wheat,” which has been said to have been 
resuscitated from some grain found in the ancient tombs. This, 
however, is more than doubtful ; but the very assertion points 
to the fact that a sort not before known may suddenly appear 
amongst us, and there is every reason to believe that this 
very mummy-wheat, as also the new sorts continually arising, 
is due to the plastic element which this and other grain 
contains, and which, paradoxical as it may appear, has been 
the cause of wheat, however changed and changing, still 
presenting to us a grain which all can recognise and 
understand. 
There have been those who have concluded that wheat 
and other "rain was given to man in the forms in which we 
find them ; in other words, that they were originally created 
in the present cultivated forms, differing, of course, but only 
in varieties. Our own opinion is that all grain is derivative, 
— all sorts have been developed from a wild form of grass ; and 
that it was that capability of growing a larger seed, and 
