[187] Without tin, probably; or the tin bread may have been baked before the fire, similar to the method adopted at the present day with the American ovens.
[188] “Similago.” Founders still use meal occasionally for making moulds; it is also employed in making paper.
[189] The mention of “hundreds” here is evidently faulty, unless the other part of the passage is corrupt. Fée suggests twenty-two and twenty-seven.
[190] But above we find him stating that “secundarius,” “seconds” flour, and “cibarius,” or “coarse,” meal, are the same thing. His contradictions cannot apparently be reconciled.
[191] The whole of this passage, as Brotier remarks, is evidently corrupt.
[192] Fée has no doubt that this was siligo, or winter-wheat, in a very high state of cultivation.
[193] Il. v. l. 195.
[194] There are still some varieties both of winter-wheat and spelt that have the beard.
[195] It is generally thought that this is the oat, the Avena sativa of Linnæus, while some have suggested rice. Fée thinks that by the name, some exotic gramineous plant is meant.
[196] Probably a variety of spelt, as Sprengel conjectures, from Galen and other writers. See c. [16] of this Book.