64 



The World's Commercial Products 



CHINAMEN THRESHING MILLET 



in a German register dated 1436. At the present 

 time it is largely cultivated in many parts of the 

 world, especially in Russia, France, and other 

 parts of the Continent, and also in the United 

 States of America. In England very little buck- 

 wheat is grown. Some varieties of buckwheat 

 grow in Russia in the dry and arid districts, to 

 which reference has already been made (pp. 14 to 

 16), where the hard or macaroni wheats are ex- 

 tensively cultivated. For buckwheat the ground is 

 ploughed in the autumn and again in the spring, 

 when it is also harrowed. Sowing takes place quite 

 late, in order to avoid any danger from the frost. 

 In some districts, for instance, the seed is not put 

 down until the beginning or even the end of June, 

 and the crop is harvested from about the middle of 

 August to early in September. 



Buckwheat has a particular interest inasmuch as, 

 although it is popularly termed a " wheat," it is 

 not a wheat nor even a cereal at all. The plant is 

 a member of the natural order Polygonaceae, and is closely allied to the common knot-grass, 

 and the docks so abundant as weeds. The fruits of the plants of the order are characteristically 

 small three-cornered "nuts," and the scientific name, Fagopyrum, recalls the resemblance of 

 the buckwheat fruits to beech nuts. Inside the thin brown covering of the little " nut " 

 is the white floury substance, for the sake of which the plant is so extensively cultivated. 



The nutritive value of buckwheat is low in 

 comparison with wheat, but is yet sufficiently 

 high to render it of importance as an article of 

 food in several parts of the world. For instance, 

 in Russia buckwheat plays its part, along with the 

 millets of various kinds, in contributing to the diet- 

 ary of the peasants, and in some districts these 

 grains constitute the principal means of subsistence. 

 The total area under buckwheat in Russia is 

 estimated at close upon 5,000,000 acres. The 

 Russians denote all these various food-stuffs, when 

 in the raw state, as " krupa," this word corre- 

 sponding practically to groats. Buckwheat groats, 

 " grechevnaya krupa," are a popular food, and are 

 prepared very simply by hulling the little nuts, 

 fruits or " grain " of the plant, and grinding the 

 contents. These buckwheat groats are boiled and 

 converted into porridge, but more commonly are 

 made up into various types of compact cakes and 

 served with soups, and in other ways. 



In the United States some 800,000 acres are 

 annually cultivated with buckwheat, the estimated 

 value of the crop, 14,000,000 bushels, being about 

 near pekin. a millet field with an £1,700,000. Buckwheat cakes are well known as 

 adjacent sorghum field one of the special dishes of the States. 



