THE CEREALS. 55 



ITALIAN MILLET. 

 Set aria italica, Beauv. 



Synonyms Panicum italicum (L.) ; Pennisetum italicum (Brown). 



Hind. Kangni, Tangan, Kayuni, Kungii, Rawla. Beng. Kakun. Sinhalese 



Tana-hal. Tamil Tinai. Tel. Kora. 

 Sanskrit Kangu, Priyangu. 



This annual grass has a cylindrical panicle, at length nodding 

 at the summit. It is frequently grown as an intermediate or 

 subordinate crop ; in some districts it is sown in April and 

 May, and cut in June and July ; in others it is sown from June 

 to September, and reaped from September to January. It is 

 largely used as human food in Patna, Saran, Bhagulpur, Dinajpur, 

 and Purniah ; in some parts of Purniah it is extensively grown. 

 Italian millet requires good land and is greatly benefited by manure. 



COMPOSITION OF ITALIAN MILLET (HUSKED). 



In ioo parts. In i Ib. 



Water ... ... ... 10*2 ... i oz. 277 grs. 



Albuminoids ... ... ,10 8 ... i , 318 



Starch ... ... ... 73 '4 ... 12 



Oil 2-9 ... o , 203 



Fibre ... ... ... 1-5 ... o 



Ash 



O 



84 .-, 



The nutrient-ratio is here i : 7 '4, the nutrient-value 91. 



Italian millet is generally regarded as nutritious and digestible, 

 but in some places it is considered to be rather heating. Some- 

 times it is boiled and eaten either alone or with the addition 

 of milk and sugar (forming the preparation called "sir"). 

 Sometimes it, is parched. The percentage of flesh-forming 

 matter in this grain seems to vary a good deal from 9 to 13. 

 The fibre in the unhusked grain may be as high as 8 per cent. 



A species of Cenchrus (C. echinatus, L.), a genus allied to 

 Setafia and Pennisetum, is not uncommon on the more arid 

 parts of the Punjab plains. The grain is used for food in times 

 of scarcity. " Mr. Duthie remarks that Cenchrus catharticus 

 (Del.) furnishes a grain used for food by the poor, who mix 

 it with bajra. 



