It is to be met with in fome Negre’s Plantations, though not fo com- 
monly as the former. 
It came from Guinea, and Perroquets fed on it by the way. Cluf: 
Fohannes Leo {ays that this fort of Grain makes Bread, is uled to be 
boiled in Milk, and to feed Birds. 
1V.. Framentum Indicum Mays ditium, G. B. Cat.p..6. Fromentum Turcicum 
Duran. p.68. C 112. Mais Americanor. Contant. p.r, Bled de Turquie de Flacourt. 
p.127. Millet.cu bled de Turquie de Biet. p. 334+ Gros mil, mais on bled de 
Turquie de Rochef. Tabl. p. 48. Triticum Turcicum mul. Swammerd.p. 13+ Corn 
and Maiz of Dampier. An Mill de Mair p.80,84, ror, cf 1362 Mays 
ranis aureis, albicantibus, violaceis, [padiceis, nigricantibus, rubris. Idem {pica 
albee[padicea, rubro-[padicea, aurea Cr alba, albapunctis {padiceis notata, alba-vio- 
lacea punttis fpadiceis notata, albo lutca violaceis punttis O° carulcis notata, albo 
lutea rubris punctis notata, rubra nigra Ge {padicea, carulea lutea violacea cy alba. 
Tournef. Inft.p. 53%. 
This is every where planted, and gives feveral Crops, every year ripening 
three times, or in four months after planting. 
It is of feveral forts, being the Grain is fometimes yellow, dark red, 
or whitith, ¢c.. which, becaufe I have {een féveral of them.on the ‘fame 
Stalk, I take to be only varieties. The beft enumeration of thefe va- 
rieties is in Zabernemontanas’s Hiftory of Plants, and Mr. Zournefort’s. Inffi- 
tutiones. | | 
The Zndians ufed to grind the Grain between Stones, and it was thought 
wholefomer in .4merica than wheaten Flour. It increafes mightily, every 
Spike having many Seeds, though not fo many as Abbeville tells us, who 
ays that every Grain has in two months and an half, or three months ; 
four, five, or fix.Stalks, every Stalk fix or {even Spikes, and) every Spike — 
fix, feven, or cight hundred Grains, and this three times a year. 
This is..the. moft common and natural Grain:in the Wef-Jndies; aad’ has 
been from thence communicated to other parts of the World ; efpecially the 
hotter parts-of Afa, Africa and Europe, though itis found in very Northern 
Countries of werica naturally, and is able to endure great degrees of 
Heat and Cold, as may..appear to any one who pleafes, to, perufe the fe- 
veral paflages. about it .. mentioned, inthe Authots recited in my Cata- 
logue of Jamaica Plants: ‘The beft account of its agriculture and ufé inthe 
Indies is given by, Oviedo in his Coronica de las Indias, lib. 7. cap.t. to this 
purpofe. They (the Zndjans) cuit down and burn the Woods, (places where 
Grafs grows, not being fo Fertile) whofe Athes is as good as Dung. Jndians 
9.apace afunder, making holes in the Ground, and putting in four or five 
Rote into every hole, covering it by the mould with their Feet, then going 
a pace forward they dothe fame, They ftcep it a day or two before, doing 
this after Rain, the fharp Stick entring eafily three or four Inches into the 
Earth. Itis ripe in three or four months, of in. Nicaragua in fix) weeks ; 
but.chen ’tis {mall, and.not fo good as that of four months, that being done 
by watering. They weed it, when it ripens Boys fit on Trees and Barbatods 
to preferve it from Parrotsand Bitds;) ‘The Spikes are guarded from: the Sun 
by Leaves, and.are gathered when. dry. Birds having Beaks’ like Partots 
deftroy. ic, . Ia the-Contirient “tis deftroy'd by Dect, Swine, Cats, and 
Monkeys. Jt is harder..ia'the Iles to keep, becaufe of the wild Kine, 
Swine, Dogs, és. ftom, Spain. One Meafute-gives in Crop from fix to-one 
hundred. fold, The Zpdians eat it rofted wher young and tender, other- 
wife give it their Cattle: In the miain’ Continent it is ground in a hollow 
Stone by a round ong; ‘as Painters do their Colours; with fome water. The 
Paft made. into. Balls.is weap’d in one ‘of mas Leaves, and Boil'd or Rofted, 
, | e and 
ne 
. The Natural Hiftory of Jamaica. Ding 
