9 FOOD-GRAINS OF INDIA. 



drought or of deficient crops. Ragi is, however, commonly 

 used in some districts, as by the poorer and lower classes of 

 Patna Division, also in Bhagulpur, Santal Parganas, Dinajpur, 

 and Gorakhpur. It is more esteemed than maize by the natives 

 of Patna and Behar, but it is not, in general, a popular food, 

 being considered difficult of digestion, productive of flatulence, 

 and astringent. It is much less esteemed than joar and bajra. 

 In Tirhiit, cakes made of ragi-flour are largely eaten. In Dar- 

 jiling, a fermented liquor is prepared from the grain. 



WHEAT. 

 Triticum vulgar e, L. 



Synonym Triticum sativum (Lamarck). 



Hind. Kunak, Giiin. Seng. Gom. 



Persian Gundum. Vernacular names include Khani, Mundi, Muria, Ratta, 



Seta, Kathia, Jamali, with many others. 

 Sanskrit Godhiima, Saman. 



Wheat is an annual grass of unknown origin. It belongs 

 to the tribe Hordese of the order Gramineae. There are a very 

 large number of cultivated varieties of this plant, distinguished 

 by the presence or absence of an awn, by the colour of the 

 grain "red" or "white," by the hardness and translucency, 

 or by the softness and opacity of the kernel, etc., etc. Great 

 improvements in the size of the grain and its quality and 

 yield have been effected of late years in England, but very 

 little work in this direction has been yet accomplished in India. 

 Continued artificial selection of the best grain has been the 

 method pursued for this purpose ; the purity of the strain should 

 be constantly kept in view. 



Generally speaking, wheat is grown in those parts of India 

 where rice does not thrive ; nearly all the production is in- 

 cluded in the region north of the river Tapti ; but rarely is it 

 cultivated anywhere south of the Deccan. The average Indian 

 yield has been estimated at 13 bushels per acre, which, con- 

 sidering the very small depth of soil stirred by the light native 

 plough, does not compare unfavourably with the 15 or 16 bushels 



