148 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. tee 
und the separated grain is usually referred to as corti. This 
very important food plant, grown from time immemorial as a 
cultivated crop, is not known in its wild state: Wheat was one 
of the attractions of the Promised Land, (Deut. 8 ch., 8), “A 
land of wheat and barley.’ The seven eared wheat of Pharaoh’s 
dream (Gen. 41 ch., 5), is a variety (7. compositum) of robust 
habit, with a semi-solid stalk, still cultivated in Egypt, where 
it is commonly known as “mummy wheat.” The righteous are 
in several of the parables likened to wheat, while the operation 
of threshing With flails or by the treading of oxen are spoken 
of, as in Deut. 25 ch., 4, “Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when 
he treadeth out the corn.” Corn when roasted in its green state 
‘is several times mentioned as “parched corn” and was eaten 
without further preparation. 
The well known quotation:—‘“Cast thy bread upon the 
waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.’ (Heel. 11 ch., 
1) refers to the custom of scattering the seed grain on the sur- 
face of the irrigation water with which the fields were covered. 
This ensured quick germination. This is the ordinary way of 
sowing rice, which, however, is a grain not. mentioned in: the 
Bible. : , 
When Balaam was taken by Balak to the top of Peor, he 
was referring to the same custom when amongst other words of. 
blessing on the Israelites he said:—“He shall pour the water- 
out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters.” 
(Numb. 24 ch., 7). 
Barley. This crop was also of universal cultivation in 
Palestine. The barley harvest was earlier than that of wheat, 
and this is why in the Egyptian plague of hail, the flax and - 
the barley perished while the wheat escaped (Exod. 9 ch., 31) 
“and the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was 
in the ear, and the flax was bolled, but the wheat and the rye. 
were not smitten for they were not grown up.” 
Millet. Two different plants were known in Hebrew as 
dohan and translated “millet.”” These were Panicum miliaceum 
and Sorghum vulgare. In Ezek. 4 ch., 9, directions are given to 
inelude this grain amongst the ingredients for making bread. ~ 
Lares. This troublesome ‘weed, referred to in the parable ~ 
of the tares and wheat (Matt. 13 ch., 24), is the common darnel 
(Lolium temulentum) ; in verse 38 tares are likened to “the chil- 
dren: of the wicked one.” : 
Lentils. The seeds of a species of vetch largely grown in 
Palestine. The best known reference is of course that in Gen. 
