Book VI. 



EXOTIC CEREALIA. 



763 



4718. The use of oats in the north, in Ireland, and in some parts of Yorkshire and 

 Derbyshire, is partly for meal and partly for horse food. In the south it is almost en- 

 tirely for horse-food, poultry, and groats for gruel. It is occasionally malted and used 

 in distillation. The fine powder which is produced by husking the corn, or making grist, 

 forms the sowens of the Scotch (the flumerty of the Irish) an agreeable light and whole- 

 some supper dish. 



4719. The diseases of the oat are few. Sometimes it is found attacked by the smut; 

 but the more common injury sustained by oats is from wire- worm, or larva of insects 

 which generally abound in lands newly broken up from turf. One of the most certain 

 practices of avoiding these is, by not ploughing the ground, especially if old turf, till 

 immediately before sowing. By this means the insect is turned down, and before it can 

 work its way to the surface (if ever it does), the corn is beyond its reach. In this way 

 gardeners destroy and retard the progress of the gooseberry caterpillar by digging under 

 the bushes, for it is found that the eggs and larvae of insects, like seeds and bulbs, when 

 buried too deep in the ground, have their progress retarded, or their vital principle de- 

 stroyed. {Encyc. of Gar d. 4663.) 



Sect. V. Cereal Grasses cultivated in Europe, Some of which might be tried in Britain. 



4720. The cereal grasses which the climate of Britain does not readily admit of cut- 

 tivating, are the millet, maize, and rice. 



4721. Of the millet there are three distinct genera, the Polish millet (Digitaria), culti- 

 vated in Poland; the common millet (Panicum), or panic grass, cultivated in Ger- 

 many, and sometimes in this country ; and the great or Indian millet ( Holcus), cultivated 

 in India, Italy, and America. 



4722. Of the common millet there are three species, the Panicum Germanicum {fg, 

 558 a) , a native of the south of Europe ; 

 the P. miliaceum [b], a native of the East 

 Indies; and the P. Italicum (cj, also of 

 Indian origin. 



4723. The common or German millet {Panicum 

 Germanicum, a), rises with a jointed reed-like stalk, 

 about three feet high, and about the size of the com- 

 mon reed, with a leaf at each joint a foot and a half 

 long, and about an inch broad at the base where 

 broadest, ending in an acute point, rough to the 

 touch, embracing the stalk at the base, and turning 

 downwards about half the length. The stalks are 

 terminated by compact spikes, about the thickness 

 of a man's finger at bottom, growing taper towards 

 the top, eight or nine inches long, closely set with 

 small roundish grain. It is annual, and perishes soon 

 after the seeds are ripe. There are three varieties 

 of it, with yellow, white, and purple grains. It has 

 been formerly cultivated for bread in some of the 

 northern countries. 



4724. The cultivated millet [Panicum miliaceum, 

 h), rises with a reed-like channelled stalk, from 

 three to four feet high ; at every joint there is one reed-like leaf, joined on the top of the sheath, which 

 embraces and covers that joint of the stalk below the leaf, and is clothed with soft hairs ; the leaf has 

 none, but has several small longitudinal furrows running parallel to the midrib. The stalk is terminated 

 by a large loose panicle hanging on one side. Of this species there are two varieties, the brown and yellow^ 



560 



the latter of which was formerly in cultivation, 

 and is now sometimes sown for feeding poultry, 

 and as a substitute for rice. 



4725. The Italian millet [Panicum Italiaim, c), 

 rises with a reed-like stalk, near four feet high, 

 and much thicker than that of the preceding ; the 

 leaves are also broader. The spikes are a foot long, 

 and twice the thickness of those of the common 

 millet, but not so compact, being composed of 



I several roundish clustered spikes ; the grain is 

 also larger. There are two or three varieties of 

 this, diftfering only in the color of the grain. It 

 frequently cultivated in Italy (whence its tri- 

 vial name), and other warm countries. It is a 

 native of both Indies, and of Cochin China. 



4726. The Polish millet, or manna grass of 

 I the Germans [Digitaria sanguinalis, formerly 



Panicum sanguinale, fig. 559.), is a low decum- 

 bent annual plant, seldom rising above nine 

 inches or a foot high, with hairy leaves and 

 slender panicles. It tillers much, and forms a 

 close tuft, spreading and rooting at the joints. 

 It is a native of England but not common, but 

 grows in abundance in Poland, and is some- 

 times cultivated; the seeds being used like 

 those of the other millets as a substitute for rice 

 Or sago. 



4727. Tfie great or Indian millet [Holcus 

 sorg/iutn, L. Sorghum vuigare, W. en. fig. 560. Honque sorgo, Fr. j Sorgsamen, Ger. ; Sagina, 

 and Melcea, Siian.), has a stem which rises five or six leet high, is strong, reedy, and Ukc th. 

 tile maize but smaller The leaves are long and broad, having a deep furrow through^ the centteJ 



o? 



