425 



The expanded skin of a flying-fox (after the body had been 

 "scooped " out) was stretched to its full length of wing on a frame 

 of bamboo, half rigid, half flexible, attached at both ends to the 

 tips of the extended wings. The main bamboo, i.e. that which 

 extends from tip to tip, is slightly bent, like a bowi, so that, when 

 taken hold of l)y the middle, and moved about, the wings, follow- 

 ing the movement of the resilient bamboo, appear as if they were 

 actually on the flight. The contrivance is attached at the "top of 

 a pole stuck in the middle of tlie field ; a boy, in the distance, holds 

 a string by which the pole is pulled : at the least tug, the bamboo 

 bends and unibends, giving the skin a flying motion which scares 

 the birds away — ^^at least for a time. 



Sorghum is one of the most important cereal crops of the 

 world, its grain supplying a wholesome food which is largely con- 

 sumed in all Asiatic countries. Estate coolies generally prefer it 

 to " Eagi " {Eleusine coracana) over which it has the advantage 

 that its grain can be cooked and eaten whole, whereas Ragi has to be 

 ground into flour: it is also made into -bread which is as nourishing 

 as wheaten bread. It therefore eoininiends itself particularly and 

 strongly, at the time of rice and wheat shortage, to the attention of 

 planters. 



The Teturns of land under Sorghum cultivated as a pure 

 crop, are variously given for India, as between 500 to 000 pounds of 

 grain per acre (Watt's Dictionary, Mukerji, Macmillan). The 

 seed in that country is generally drilled in rows 14 to 18 inches 

 apart. The writer as already stated, had his seed sown in rows 12 

 inches apart, then thinned and transplanted at the same distances,, 

 viz: 12 inches by 12 inches. 



Given a ricli soil, the resulting crop appears to justify the 

 practice of transplanting in this country and although it would be 

 absurd to generalise from such small plots as are here in question, 

 viz : 2S0 square feet, yet the amount of grain obtained was so much 

 greater, (in the transplanted plot) than the averages given above 

 for India, that it compels comment. 



Eeverting to the figures of yield previously stated, we found 

 that 280 square feet of Jalgaon Sorghum planted 12 by 12 inches 

 gave in one cutting, the following results : 



Transplanted plot, 223 panicles weighing 23| pounds yielding 

 15 lb. 5.30 bz. of dry grain. 



Sown plot. 142 panicles weighing 8f pounds yielding 5 lb. of 

 dry grain. 



The figures for tlie second cutting, which took place one week 

 later on, by an unfortunate inadvertance, are not available. _ The 

 panicles were, of course, much smaller, and the weight of grain ob- 

 tained from them would have affected but slightly the final result. 

 By neglecting them altogether, we shall strengthen our view that 



