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Monocotyledons with Glumaceous Flowers — Graminece. 
OATS (Avena sativa). —Cultivated from a remote period in Northern and Central Europe, though not by the 
Hebrews, Egyptians, Greeks, or Romans. The cultivated plant is nearly allied to a grass (Avena fatua) very 
frequent in Southern and Eastern Europe, and may perhaps be a cultivated form of the same species. Oats is the 
principal cereal crop in Ireland and Northern Scotland, as also in Norway, where its cultivation extends northward 
into Finmark, though falling short of the limit of Rye. 
Wheat {Triticum vulgare). —Cultivated very largely throughout the North Temperate zone. In the Old 
World it has formed the principal staple of food in temperate regions from the most remote period of which we 
have record. It is frequently referred to in the Holy Scriptures, and there is historical record of its having been 
cultivated in China 2800 years before the Christian era. It is not known in the wild state. Some botanists have 
supposed that it may have originated from a grass (AEgilojps ovata) wild in the South of Europe, allied to Wheat, 
between which and the cultivated plant intermediate forms have been observed. There cannot, however, be any 
doubt of the hybrid origin of these intermediates. From fine varieties of Wheat grown in Italy and Sicily, 
Maccaroni and Vermicelli are prepared. The straw is used for thatch, litter, plaited work, and in paper-making. 
Barley (Hordeum vulgare). —Cultivated by the ancient Hebrews and Egyptians, and at the present period 
very extensively in one or other of its varieties throughout the temperate regions of the Old World; its cultivation 
extending farther north and to higher elevations than that of any other cereal. It is a regular crop at Alten in 
Finmark, latitude 70? North. The 1 -flowered spikelets are arranged in threes in alternate joints of the axis of the 
spike. I11 Two-rowed Barley the central spikelet only of each set of 3 contains a fertile flower, while in Six-rowed 
Barley ( Hordeum hexastichori) , grown in Eastern countries, each of the spikelets contains a fertile flower. “ Malt 
is prepared by steeping Barley for about 50 hours, and then exposing it on a floor of slate or cement until it 
germinates. It is then heated in a kiln to 160? or 180°, then ‘ screened 5 so as to separate the sprouted radicles. 
Germination converts the starch of the albumen into a kind of sugar capable of vinous fermentation, by which 
process alcohol is formed. In brewing the malt is steeped so as to dissolve out the soluble sugar, forming the sweet 
wort. This is left to ferment, hops being added to impart a bitterness and preserving quality.” Scotch or Pot 
Barley is the grain deprived of the adherent glumes by grinding. 
SUGAR Cane ( Saccharum offbcinarum). —Probably native originally in Tropical Asia, though never met with 
in the wild state. It is cultivated chiefly in India, Mauritius, the East and West Indian Islands, and Brazil. The 
