THE CEREALS. 89 



RAGI. 

 Elemine coracana, Gaertn. 



Hind. Natchni, Nachani, Nagli, Mandua, Maruya. Beng. Mania, Modua. 

 Oudh Mindwa. Punjab Mandal, Chalodra. Punjab and Bengal Hills Koda, 



Kodom. Himalaya Koda. 

 Deccan and South India Ragi. Tamil Kaywur. Telugu Kawaru, Sodi, 



Ponassa. Sinhalese Puta-tana, Kurakkan. 

 Sanskrit Rajika. 



This semi-erect to decumbent native grass belongs to the 

 tribe Chloridese. It is a fairly productive rainy- weather crop 

 for light soils ; it may be grown almost upon stones and gravel. 

 It yields from 5 to 6 maunds of grain per acre upon the hills, 

 12 to 14 maunds in the plains, if carefully cultivated and weeded. 

 It is the staple grain of the Mysore country ; sometimes it is 

 there stored in pits and will keep good for years. It is frequently 

 grown with summer-rice, ripening sooner, and thus affording 

 earlier relief in times of scarcity ; the straw is used as fodder. 



Eleusine segyptiaca, a closely-allied species found wild on 

 the road-sides of the Punjab and North-West Provinces, and 

 indeed throughout Upper India, yields a poor unpalatable grain 

 which, in times of scarcity, is occasionally collected and eaten. 

 This species is common in the warmer parts of Ceylon. 



COMPOSITION OF RAGI. 



In 100 parts. 



Hulked. Whole. 



Water ... ... ... 13-2 ... 12-5 ... 202. o grs. 



Albuminoids ... 7-3 ... 59 ... o 413 



Starch ... ... 73-2 ... 74-6 ... n 409 



Oil 1-5 ... 0-8 ... o 56 



Fibre ... 2-5 ... 3-6 ... o 252 



Ash 2-3 ... 2-6 ... o 182 



The nutrient-ratio is here 1:13, the nutrient-value 84. The 

 percentage of phosphoric acid in the whole grains is about 0*4. 



Generally, this millet is sold at a cheaper rate than any 

 other; in some places, in ordinary seasons, 130 to 140 Ibs. of 

 it are procurable for about two shillings, and it is looked upon 

 as a famine food, to which recourse is had only in times of 



