Lib. i. 
Of the Hiftory of Plants. 
ds 
vp the difeafes of Graine,as well thofe that come of thegraine it felfe degenerating , or that arc 
changed into fome other kinde,and made worfe through the fault of the weather, or of tire Voile ■ 
asalfo fuch as be cumberfome by growing among them, doe likcwife fitly fucceed the oraines’. 
And beginning with come, we will firftfpeake of Wheat, and deferibe it in the firfl place, be* 
caufe itis preferred before all other come. 
I T riticum fi/ica mutica. 
White Wheate. 
r 
The defer ipt ion. 
1 His kinde ofWheate which LobeliuSj di- 
ftinguifhing it by the care, calleth Spied 
Mutica^s the mod principal of all other, 
whofe eares are altogether bare or naked , without 
awnes or chaffie beards. The ftalke rifeth from a 
threddy root,compafi of many firings, joynted or 
kneed at fundry diftances • from whence (hoot forth 
graffie blades and leaues like vntoRie, but broader. 
The plant is fo well knowne to many,and fo profitable 
toall, that the mcaneft andmoft ignorant need no lar- 
ger defeription to know the fame by. 
2 The fecond kinde of Wheat, in root, ftalkes, 
joints, and blades, is like the precedent, differing one- 
Jy in care, and number of graines, whereof this kinde 
doth abound, hauing an care confiding of many ranks, 
which feemeth to make the care double or fquare.The 
root and graine is like the other, but not bare and na- 
ked, but bridled or bearded, with many fmall and 
lharpe eiles or awnes, not vnlike to thofe of Barley. 
3 Flat Wheat is like vnto the other kindes of 
Wheat in leaues, ftalkes,and roots, but is bearded and 
bordered with rough and lharpe ailes, wherein confifts 
the difference. £ I know not what our Author means 
by this flat Wheat -, but Iconje&ure it to be the long 
rough eared Wheat, which hath blewifh eares when 
as it is ripe, in other things refembling the ordinary 
red wheat. % 
4 The fourth kinde is like the Iaft deferibed , and 
thus differeth from it, in that, that this kind hath many 
imal ears comming forth of one great eare,& the beards hereof be fhorter than of the former kind. 
5 Bright wheate is like the fecond before deferibed, and differeth from it in that, that this 
kind is fourc fquare, fomewhat bright and Chining, the other nor. 
t I thinkeitaveryfitthingtoaddeinthis placearare obferuation, of the tranfmutation of 
one fpecies into another, in plants ; which though it haue beene obferued of ancient times, as by 
Theophrafius,dc cauf. plm. lib. 3. cap. 6. whereas amongft others hee mentioneth the change of 
znia-Ztif Spelt into oates : and by Virgill in thefe verfes ■ 
Grandiafepe quihue mandauimus Horded fulcis, 
Infcelix Lolium, dr ficriles dominant nr erjens. 
That is; 
In furrowes where great Barley we did fow, 
Nothingbut Darnel and poore Oats do grow • 
yetnone that I haue read haue obferued, that two feuerall graines, perfect in each refpeft, did 
grow at any time in one care : the which I faw this yeave r 632, in an care of white Wheat, which 
was found by my very good Friend Matter Iohn Goody cr, a man fecond to none in his induftrie and 
learching of plants, nor in his iudgement or know ledge of them. This care of wheat was as large 
andfaireas molt are, and about the middle thereof grew three or foure perfect Oats inallrefpefts: 
which being hard to be found, I held very worthy of fetting downc,for fome reafons not to be in- 
fitted vpon in this place, p 
; T heplace. 
Wheat grovveth almoft in all the countries of the world that are inhabited and mdnnured,arld 
requireth a fruitfull and fat foile, and rather Sunny and dry, than watery grounds and lhadowie : 
for in a dry ground (as Columella reporteth) it groweth harder and better compact : in a moift and 
darke foile it degenerateth fometime to be ofanorhesiinde. 
*! r 
«« The 
