109 



A species of Glyceria, G. Fluitam (R. Br.), not only yields a valuable 

 fodder for cattle, but a very nutritious and highly palatable grain, which 

 is collected for food in Russia. This plant is a native of Britain, and 

 is found abundantly in shallow stagnant waters and slowly running 

 streams ; although a most abundant bearer the seeds are never collected 

 in this country, but in Russia the collection of the seeds is an impor- 

 tant branch of industry ; the mode of obtaining this grain is curious : 

 the peasant takes an old felt-hat, and, wading in the water, skims the 

 hat amongst the patches of glyceria : when the grain is ripe, the seeds 

 fall into the hat, and in this manner are saved. I do not know the 

 process used by the Russians for husking this grain, but they accom- 

 plish it very completely, and generally granulate it, in which state 

 it resembles Semolina, and it is called Manna or Manna croup. Most 

 of the vessels from the Russian Baltic ports bring small quantities, 

 generally as presents, belonging to the captains : it is quite equal to the 

 Indian Soojee, or the Italian Semolina. It is occcasionally imported in 

 another form, called gntz; in this state it is simply the fruit, or cary- 

 opsis, denuded of its covering, In both forms it is an excellent diet 

 article, especially for children. 



Another genus yields several species which ai'e important as fur- 

 nishing a large supply of human food, besides other interesting and 

 useful products. Sorghum vulgare, (W.) or the Great Indian millet, is 

 identical with the durra of the Turks and Arabs — the negro corn of 

 Africa, and the broom corn of North America ; it is largely cultivated 

 in the United States and the West Indies as food for the black popu- 

 lation, and the branching wiry stems of the panicle are used for whisks 

 and carpet-brooms ; another species, probably S. nigrum, (R. & S.) fur- 

 nishes a grain food for the Malays and Javanese. Sorghum saccharatum 

 has lately been proposed as a source for sugar, but with no great prospect 

 of success. An allied genus, Andropogon, is very remarkable for the 

 number of highly odorous plants which it yields — thus the celebrated 

 j'c^uw, or kus-kus of the Orientals, is the root oi A.muricatus (Retzius,) 

 the Anatherum muricatum, (Beauvois ) ; its aromatic property is more 

 strongly developed when the root is moistened ; it is manufactured into 

 mats, fans, baskets, &c. Several of the Andropogons yield sweet-scented 

 essential oils, thus A. ivarancusa yields the roosa oil of India, used as 

 a rubefacient in rheumatism by the native practitioners, and in Europe 

 as a perfume under the name of oil of rose-scented geranium. A. sche- 

 nanthus (L.) yields in Ceylon the beautiful lumon grass oil, or oil of 

 verbena as it is sometimes called, from its riisemblance to the Aloysia 

 citriodora or sweet-scented verbena, and A. citratum yields the other 

 lemon grass oil called CitroneUe. 



