The cereals are members of a great family of the grasses which have been
cultivated by man from time immemorial. Originally, no doubt, they were
wild plants which attracted attention owing to the comparatively large
quantities of foodstuffs they yielded, the ease with which they could be
collected, and their edible qualities. Now, in the majority of cases,
the original wild forms are no longer known, and as is common with
plants cultivated in many lands and during long periods, innumerable
species and varieties have been evolved as the result of selection by
man of the forms which appeared desirable for one or other of their
qualities.