Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 40.djvu/77

Rh difficulty of harvesting these grains, which fall too easily when they are ripe, they might be utilized. But attentive search might find or educe some variety of Zizania with a more persistent grain and a better yield. There are two of our sea-shore grasses which have excellent grains, but are of small yield. Why are not these, or better ones which might be suggested by observation, taken in hand?

The reason is plain. We are all content to move along in lines of least resistance, and are disinclined to make a fresh start. It is merely leaving well enough alone, and, so far as the cereals are concerned, it is indeed well enough. The generous grains of modern varieties of wheat and barley compared with the well-preserved charred vestiges found in Greece by Schliemann, and in the lake-dwellings, are satisfactory in every respect. Improvements, however, are making in many directions; and in the cereals we now have we possess far better and more satisfactory material for further improvement, both in quality and as regards range of distribution, than we could reasonably hope to have from other grasses.

From the cereals we may turn to the interesting groups of plants comprised under the general term

II. —Under this term it will be convenient for us to include all plants which are employed for culinary purposes, or for table use, such as salads and relishes.

The potato and sweet potato, the pumpkin and squash, the red or capsicum peppers, and the tomato, are of American origin.

All the others are, most probably, natives of the Old World. Only one plant coming in this class has been derived from southern Australasia, namely, New Zealand spinach (Tetragonia).

Among the vegetables and salad-plants longest in cultivation