376 
of the Old Continent appears to be in the manners and pecuharities of the 
people. In North America, wheat and rye grow as in Europe, but more 
sparingly. Maize is more reared in the Western than in the Old Continent, 
and rice predominates in the southern provinces of the United States. 
“ In the torrid zone, maize predominates in America, rice in Asia, and 
both these grains in nearly equal quantity in Africa. The cause of this dis- 
tribution is, without doubt, historical ; for Asia is the native country of rice, 
and America of maize. In some situations, especially in the neighbourhood 
of the tropics, wheat is also met with, but always subordinate to these other 
kinds of grain. Besides rice and maize, there are, in the torrid zone, several 
kinds of grain, as well as other plants, which supply the inhabitants with 
food, either used along with them, or entirely occupying their place. Such 
are, in the New Continent, Yams (Dioscorea alata), the Manihot (Jatropha 
manihot), and the Batatas (Convolvulus batatas), the root of which, and the 
fruit of the Pisang (Banana, Musa), furnish universal articles of food. In 
the same zone, in Africa, Doura (Sorghum), Pisang, Manihot, Yams, and 
Arachis hypogaea. In the East Indies, and on the Indian Islands, Eleusine 
coracana, E. stricta, Panicum frumentaceum ; several Palms and Cycadese, 
which produce the Sago ; Pisang, Yams, Batatas, and the Bread-fruit (Arto- 
carpus incisa). In the islands of the South Sea, grain of every kind disap- 
pears, its place being supplied by the Bread-fruit tree, the Pisang, and 
Tacca pinnatifida. In the tropical parts of New Holland there is no agricul- 
ture, the inhabitants living on the produce of the Sago, of various Palms, and 
some species of Arum. 
“ In the high lands of South America there is a distribution similar to 
that of the degrees of latitude. Maize, indeed, grows to the height of 
7200 feet above the level of the sea, but only predominates between 3000 
and 6000 of elevation. Below 3000 feet it is associated with the Pisang, 
and the above-mentioned vegetables; while, from 6000 to 9260 feet, the 
European grains abound : wheat in the lower regions, and rye and barley 
in the higher ; along with which Chenopodium Quinoa, as a nutritious plant, 
must also be enumerated. Potatoes alone are cultivated from 9260 to 12,300 
feet. 
“ To the south of the tropic of Capricorn, wherever agriculture is prac- 
tised, considerable resemblance with the northern temperate zone may be 
obsers^ed. In the southern parts of Brazil, in Buenos Ayres, in Chile, at 
the Cape of Good Hope, and in the temperate zone of New Holland, wheat 
predominates ; barley, however, and rye, make their appearance in the 
southernmost parts of these countries, and in Van Diemen’s Land. In New 
Zealand the culture of wheat is said to have been tried with success ; but the 
inhabitants avail themselves of the Acrostichum furcatum as the main article 
of sustenance. 
“ Hence it appears, that, in respect of the predominating kinds of grain, 
the earth may be ^vided into five grand divisions, or kingdoms. The king- 
dom of Rice, of Maize, of Wheat, of Rye, and lastly of Barley and Oats. 
The first three are the most extensive ; the Maize has the greatest range of 
temperature ; but Rice may be said to support the greatest number of the hu- 
man race.” 
Properties. The uses of this most important tribe of plants, for fodder, 
for food, and for clothing, require little illustration. The abundance of whole- 
some fsecula contained in all their seeds renders them pecuharly weU adapted 
for the sustenance of man ; and if the Corn tribe only, such as Wheat, Barley, 
Oats, Maize, Rice, and Guinea Com, are the kinds commonly employed, it is 
because of the large size of their seeds compared with those of other Grasses, for 
none are unwholesome in their natural state, with the single exception of Lo- 
