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CHAP. XXIV. (Book 24)
Of such Fruits of the Field, as are nourishing. (Book 24)
THe chief fruits of the field are Wheate, Rye, Rice, Barly, Oates, Beanes, Chiches, Pease and Lentils.
Triticum.
Wheate is divided into divers kinds by Pliny, Colu∣mella, Dodonaeus, Pena and Lobelius; it shall be suffici∣ent for us to describe the sorts of this Country, which are especially two: The one red called Robus by Co∣lumella, and the other very white and light called Siligo, whereof is made our purest manchet. Being made into Furmity and sodden with milk and sugar, or artificially made into bread; Wheate nourisheth exceeding much * 1.1and strongly: the hardest, thickest, heaviest, cleanest, brightest and growing in a fat soil, is ever to be chosen; for such Wheate (in Dioscorides and Galens judgement) is most nourishing.
Secale.
Rye seemeth to be nothing but a wild kind of wheate, meet for Labourers, Servants and Workmen, but hea∣vy of digestion to indifferent stomachs.
Oriza.
Rice is a most strong and restorative meat, discommen∣dable onely in that it is over-binding; very wholesome pottage is made thereof with new milk, sugar, cinamon, mace and nutmegs: whose astringency if any man fear, let him soke the Rice one night before in sweet Whey, and afterwards boil it in new milk with sugar, butter, cloves and nutmegs, leaving out cinamon and mace. Thus shall the body be nourished, costiveness prevent∣ed, and nature much strengthened and encreased.