110 



We are apt in this country to think that wheat is the most extensively 

 used of all the CereaUa — this is not the case — the number of human 

 beings who feed upon rice is far greater, and its astringent qualities 

 render it far superior as a food in tropical climates. I exhibit a 

 curious preparation of this grain, much used in India as an accessory 

 to the desert; it is prepared in a manner exactly similar to the pop-corn 

 of the Americans — that is, by soaking the grain and then throwing it 

 on a plate of iron placed over a fire, the grain submitted to this process 

 explodes by the expansion of the steam within, and turns inside-out. 



It is not generally known that efforts have been made to grow rice 

 in England, and a crop was actually gathered near Windsor some years 

 since : it is however too tender for our climate. 



In India, Africa, and Southern Europe several species of millet are 

 used, as Setaria iltaica, S. germanica, Panicum frumentaceum, P. jnlo- 

 swm, Penicillaria spicata, the seeds of which are made into various 

 kinds of food as a cheap substitute for rice. 



The natcheny of the Coromandel Coast and Japan is not a true 

 millet, but is the seed of Eleusinia coracana, said to be a useful cereal. 



The canary-grass seed resembles millet somewhat ; it is yielded by 

 Phalaris canariensis, which is extensively grown in Germany and also 

 in England about Margate, Ramsgate, and Canterbury. 



The water rice of Canada, Zizania aqiiatica, is said to be an 

 excellent eatable grain, but has never been much cultivated, probably 

 from its aquatic habit. 



There are other valuable applications, for instance, the stem or culm 

 • of Arundo donax forms the most admirable arrow shaft for the Indian, 

 who would otherwise experience much difficulty with his rude imple- 

 ments in making one so straight and light from any other material. 

 The stems of Arundinaria schomburgkii, which are imported into 

 Liverpool under the name of reed-canes, for the manufacture of shuttles 

 and fishing-line winders, are also used by some of the South American In- 

 dian tribes as blow-pipes from which to expel their small poisoned arrows. 



The common reed, Phragmites Arundinacea, is very valuable as a 

 thatching material in Europe, and the stoloniferous habit of Arundo 

 arenaria and some others is of great service in binding the sands of 

 such shores as those of Lancashii-e and Cheshire, and thereby pro- 

 tecting them from the influence of the wind. The sand dunes of 

 Southport and New Brighton are held together by this means. In 

 Spain two or three species of grass are employed in making ropes for 

 common purposes ; thus Stij^a tenacissinma and Spartlna stricta are 

 commonly employed for that purpose. 



The curious seeds of Coicc lachryma, or Job's tears, are occasionally 

 used in medicine, as a diuretic, in the West Indies. 



