[Ads-l] mummy wheat, 1832

[James Eric Lawson]

OEDO 1842.

1832  *The Charleston Daily Courier* (Charleston, South Carolina) 13 Oct 2/4
Who ever heard,
Of all the things to eat,
Of food like this--
Ycleped “Mummy Wheat?”

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-charleston-daily-courier-mummy-wheat/136190070/


[1832  *Georgia Telegraph* (Macon, Georgia) 31 Oct 3/4  A fine patch of 
wheat is now growing in France from seed, upwards of 2000 years old, 
taken from an Egyptian Mummy. The wheat is similar to that of the 
present day.]

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-weekly-telegraph-mummy-wheat-phrase/136189880/


[1832  *The Greensboro Patriot* (Greensboro, North Carolina) 31 Oct 3/3 
Old Wheat. A fine patch of wheat is now growing in France from seed 2000 
years old, taken from an old English Mummy. The wheat is similar to that 
of the present day. Our Devil inclines to the belief that they had no 
*weavels* in that country!]

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-greensboro-patriot-mummy-wheat-the/136189704/


[1836  *Public Ledger* (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) 14 Dec 2/1 *Egyptian 
Wheat.*-- Within the enclosures of the Egyptian mummies, wheat has been 
found, which, when dipped in oil and planted deep in golden pots, has 
grown and produced good seed!
   We see nothing improbable in this, though the golden pots and 
planting deep are no essential parts of the process. The air of the 
catacombs of Egypt is exceedingly dry, and rendered very pure by the 
oxygen emitted by the asphaltus used in embalming. No vegetable 
decomposition can proceed without water. Therefore we should suppose 
that whent, in such an atmosphere, would soon become perfectly dry, and 
then remain unchanged for centuries.]

https://www.newspapers.com/article/public-ledger-mummy-wheat-indirectly-at/136190672/


1841  *The Ipswich Journal* (Ipswich, Suffolk, England) 25 Sep 3/7  He 
begged to introduce to the meeting a specimen of the long-talked of 
Egyptian wheat, for which he was indebted to the kindness of Dr. 
Kerrison. (Loud applause.) The specimen he introduced was an ear of 
resuscitated “mummy” wheat, raised this season from seed which there is 
just cause to assert can boast of little less antiquity than 3000 years.

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-ipswich-journal-mummy-wheat/136189414/


-- 
James Eric Lawson

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org