Page 57 - Arabian Studies (I)

The Cultivation of Cereals in Mediaeval Yemen 43

When (wheat) has ripened, turned white, and its heads have begun
to bend over, it is reaped with sickles about a handspan above the
ground or less, according to the amount of straw wanted.83 It is then
loaded up and stacked (in a circle) one (sheaf) on top of another, the
ears placed towards the centre of the pile and the cut edges (of the
stalks) to the outside; some of the ears along with (their) stalk are
used to cover it over.84 It remains stacked up in this way for eight
days, more or less. It is not stacked up while there is any damp in it
from dew or rain so that it would rot and perish. On the contrary it
is stacked while dry, then it is separated (by hand or wooden fork)
from the stack, and trodden out by oxen, or with a stone attached to
the implement (the yoke ?) of the oxen, the stone having either a
hole in it through which the rope is tied to it, or a groove round the
middle by which it is tied. It goes on being trodden out until it is
freed of all the straw, and then its straw is beaten.85 Thereupon one
tosses it (the grain) in the winds with a stick that has fingers like
those of the hand until the grain is free of straw. When it is free of it
(straw) but some ears (still) remain in it (? the straw), one repeats the
treading out with the stone and oxen until all is free (of it),86 and it
is winnowed with a pole to the top of which is nailed a board of about
half a cubit, until it is cleansed of straw and anything else. As often
as one winnows it in the wind one brushes the surface of the grain
with (a piece of) brushwood resembling a broom to remove any ends
of straw8 7 still remaining on it, and ears not trodden out, and one
makes a single heap of it. It (the grain) is then measured88 and taken
(to the granaries), but it is not lifted until after it is cool of the sun’s
heat lest the worm come to it, and stored in a store with apertures
facing the north wind.89 It should not be below a dwelling, kitchen,
fire, lamp, beasts or straw; nor should there be any aperture to the
east or south. It will then be free of the worm — (this has been
proved by experience).’
Among the varieties of wheat also, as known to the folk of SaiTa
of the Yemen — among these is excellent BawnT90 wheat, qiycicl
(cropping in winter [shit cT]), 'aqar91 (grown on rain-land), and surab
(cropping in autumn) - of the 4aqar open Egyptian bread is
made — white HadurT9 2 wheat, called after Hadur of the Banu
Shihab country, of which cake93 is made. Other varieties of wheat
also are the DhamarT and MaisanI94 kinds.

2. The second species is ‘alas-wheat. 9 5
In al-Ishdrah he said: ‘It is of two varieties, white and red, containing
six grains in envelopes, each envelope holding a couple of grains —