George Henslow (1796–1861)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1895 Excerpt: ...ancient, and it was probably grown for this purpose in the time of the Pharaohs. 'Although Columella takes no notice of the use of bailey in making beer, he mentions in one place6 zythum, a beverage known to be obtained from this species of grain. For zythum is alluded to both by show more Theophrastus" and by Dioscorides7, as prepared from Exod. ijc. 31. 1 Kings iv. 28. "Judges vti. 13. Num. v. 15; see also Hos. iii. 2. 'Lib. x. 116. 5 Called by this writer zethos, from zeo, ' to ferment.' 7 Dioscorides mentions a sort of drink called iourmi, made of barley, and, as we learn from Pliny, was the name by which it was known in Egypt V Millet.--Dochan in Hebrew, dokhn in modern Arabic, is the kegchros of the LXX and of Dioscorides, and the Panicum miliaceum of modern botanists. It is only once mentioned, viz. in Ezekiel2, with wheat, barley, and spelt. This plant, as well as other grasses known generally as millets, such as the dhurra (Sorghum vulgare3), have been long cultivated in Eastern Europe and in Asia. It has been found in the remains of the Swiss and Italian lake-dwellings; and having been cultivated over a very wide area of the world, its native country and wild form are unknown. Salt-wort.--A saline plant, miscalled ' mallow ' in the A. V.4, occurs in the Book of Job: 'They pluck salt-wort by the bushes' (R. V.). It is thought that this might be Atriplex halimus, which is common on the shores of the Mediterranean, and grown as hedges by the seaside in England. The leaves might be eaten like samphire, &c, as a salad, or, as Job expresses it, as a poor food in times of great distress. barley. This word bears a close analogy to curw, the Welsh term for ale. Perhaps it resembled the boozah of modern Egypt, which is made of barley bread fermented in .. show less