1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



477 



A HEW AFRICAN GRAIN. 



In Chambers^ Edinburgh Journal we find the fol- 

 lowing notice of a grain, obtained from the colony 

 of Sierra Leone, Africa, which has recently been 

 introduced into Great Britain : 



"According to Mr. Clarke, Assistant Surgeon of 

 the Colony, this grain, which is called ' fundi,' or 

 'fundungi,' is cultivated in the neighborhood of 

 Kissij' village, and in other parts of the colony, by 

 industrious individuals of the Soosoo, Foulah, and 

 other tribes, by whom it is highly prized. By the 

 natives it is called ' hungry rice,' though neither in 

 botanical character nor a2)pearance does it bear the 

 least resemblance to the rice of common culture. 

 The fundi is a slender grass, with digitate spikes, 

 and grows to the height of about eighteen inches. 



The ear consists of two conjugate spikes, the 

 grain being arranged on the outer edge of either 

 spike, and alternated ; the grain is attached by a 

 short peduncle to the husk, from which it is easily 

 separated. The grain which is codiform, (heart- 

 shaped) and about the size of mignonette seed, is 

 covered by a thin fawn-colored membrane ; and 

 when freed from this membrane, is whitish and 

 semi-transparent. It is highly glutinous, and has 

 a delicate flavor, between that of rice and kiln- 

 dried oats. 



The mode of culture is extremely simple. The 

 ground is cleared for its reception by burning down 

 the copse-wood, and hoeing between the roots and 

 stumps. It is sown in the months of May and 

 June, the soil being slightly opened, and again 

 lightly drawn together over the seed with a hoe. 

 In August, when it begins to shoot into ear, it is 

 carefully weeded. It ripens in September, grow- 

 ing to the height of about eighteen inches ; its 

 stems, which are very slender, being then bent to 

 the earth by the mere weight of the grain. The 

 patch of land is then either suffered to lie fallow, 

 or is planted with yams or cassado in rotation. — 

 Experienced cultivators of this Lilliputian grain 

 assured Mr. Clark that manure was unnecessary, 

 nay, injurious, as it delights in light soils, and is 

 even raised in rocky situations, which is the gener- 

 al character of the surface in and around Kissy. 

 When cut down, it is tied up in small sheaves, and 

 placed in a dry situation, generally within the huts 

 of the natives ; for, if allowed to remain on the 

 ground and to get rain, the grains become aggluti- 

 nated to their coverings. The grain is trodden 

 out with the feet, and is then parched or dried in 

 the sun, to allow of the more easy removal of the 

 outer membrane (or epicarp) in the process of 

 pounding, which is performed in wooden mortars. 

 It is afterwards winnowed with a kind of cane fan- 

 ner on mats. 



In preparing this delicious grain for food, it is 

 first put into boiling water, assiduously stirred for 

 a few minutes, and the water then poured off. To 

 the grain so prepared, the Soosoos, Foulahs, &c., 

 add palm oil, butter, or milk, but the Europeans 

 and negroes connected with the colony genei'ally 

 stew it in a close saucepan, with fowl, fish or mut- 

 ton, a small piece of salt pork being added for the 

 sake of flavor. This is said to make a very good 

 dish. Sometimes it is made into puddings with 

 the usual condiments, and eaten either hot or cold 

 with milk. By the few natives of Scotland in the 

 colony it its dressed as milk porridge. In either 



form it is said to be excellent ; and Mr. Clarke is 

 of opinion that could it be raised in sufficient quali- 

 ties, it would become an important article of com- 

 merce, as it would prove a valuable addition to 

 the light farinaceous articles of food now in use 

 among the delicate and convalescent. 



From the specimen kindly furnished us by Mr. 

 Clarke, the fundi grain appears to be quite as del- 

 cate as arrow root, while it possesses a more agree- 

 able flavor than sago, potato starch, and other sim- 

 ilar preparations." 



For the New England Farmer. 



"TROTTING COURSES ON OUR FAIR 

 GROUNDS." 



I perceive, Mr. Editor, that you say there exists 

 a diversity of opinion as to the expediency of this 

 class of exhibitions, and invite discussion of the 

 question. If this diversity of opinion actually ex- 

 ists, then it presents a fair subject for discussion. 

 That there is a growing disposition to introduce 

 these at all our agricultural shows, cannot be de- 

 nied. There will always be a class of persons with 

 an ambition to show their adroitness in the man- 

 agement of fast horses ; and generally, their skill 

 in other things is universalbj in proportion to theii 

 ability in this. A fast horse, like a powerful ca- 

 thartic, may be of value in an emergency, but nei- 

 ther can be desirable on ordinary occasions. 



A correspondent in the Farmer of February 2d 

 speaksof the /eais of ladies on horseback as worthy 

 to be encouraged at our shows. Of this I have 

 great duubt. Not that I would discourage ladies 

 in learning to ride, but I think these occasions are 

 not fit opportunities to display their skill in this 

 particular. Ladies should be able to ride on horse- 

 back, when health or necessity demand it, but nev- 

 er for show. The exercise does not accord with 

 that modest deportment, which is ever their great- 

 est charm. I cannot, therefore, commend such a 

 display on our show grounds. I hope it never will 

 be encouraged. But it is said the speed of the no- 

 ble animal, the horse, can never be perfected, un- 

 less it is tested, and therefore it is fit that opportu- 

 nity be given to put them to the test. This may 

 be well, when it can be done without the usual ac- 

 companiments ; but when a speculating, gambling 

 spirit is awakened by the operation, it is productive 

 of more evil than good. Whoever saw a horse- 

 race, in presence of many lookers on, without wit- 

 nessing a disposition to bet upon the result ? Who- 

 ever knew any good to result from such bettuig, or 

 hazarding movements ? They are neither more or 

 less than gambling — and gambling is always de- 

 moralizing. 



Beyond question, there are numerous ways of op- 

 erating at our shows, that are unexceptionable ; 

 and wliile this is so, there can be no occasion to in- 

 troduce operations of a questionable character. 



August, 185G. %• 



The Season in New Hampshire. — Concord, 

 July 27, 1819. — Corn has not presented a more 

 promising appearance since the year 1783 — Ilj-e 

 much better than that fruitful season — Wheat 

 generally middling, and some fields very fine. 

 Flax and Oats better than an average. Hay about 

 a middling crop. 



I commenced my haying on the morning of the 



