MILK-VETCH. 



in Kentucky is $1000. A creeping vine has 

 been of late years generally believed to be 

 the occasion of the disease, but this has not 

 been so well established as to enable the per- 

 son who made the supposed discovery to claim 

 the rewards. 



MILK-VETCH (Astragalus'). This is an 

 extensive genus of herbaceous and shrubby 

 plants ; many of the species are very hand- 

 some, and well suited for the flower-garden. 

 There are 4 species indigenous to England. 



MILKWORT (Polygala, from poly, much, 

 and gala, milk; reputed effects of the plant on 

 cattle that feed upon it.) All the species of 

 this genus are very showy. The annual kinds 

 require sowing in the open ground, preferring 

 a peat soil. Some of the species possess use- 

 ful medicinal qualities. Decandolle enume- 

 rates above 160 species in this genus, but only 

 one is British. 



A considerable number of the species are 

 natives of the United States, among which the 

 best known is the P. senega, or Seneca snake- 

 root. 



MILLET (Panicum, from panicula, a panicle, 

 or panis, bread). A useful genus of grasses, 

 one species of which, called Bengal grass, was 

 some years ago introduced into Pennsylvania 

 as an object of culture, and excited much inte- 

 rest for a time among farmers. It was found, 

 however, not to be so valuable as the usual 

 summer crop of which it occupied the place, 

 and it is now pretty much abandoned. The 

 seed is sown in the early part of May. (Flora 

 Cestrica.) 



Of the millet there are three distinct genera: 

 the Polish millet (Digitaria), cultivated in Po- 

 land; the common millet (Panicum), or panic 

 grass, cultivated in Germany, and sometimes 

 in England; and the great or Indian millet 

 (Holcus), cultivated in India, Italy, and Ame- 

 rica. 



Of the common millet there are 3 species : 

 Slid rirt Germanica, a native of the south of Eu- 

 rope ; the P. miliaceum (PI. 3, I), a native of the 

 East Indies ; and the Setaria Italica (m), also 

 of Indian origin. 



The German Millet (Fr. Moha de Hongrie ; S. 

 Germanica, PI. 3, k) rises with a jointed reed-like 

 stalk, about 3 feet high, and about the size of 

 the common reed, with a leaf at each joint, 1 

 foot 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 the 

 bottom, growing taper towards the top, 8 or 9 

 inches long, and closely set with small round- 

 ish grain. It is annual, and perishes soon after 

 the seeds are ripe. There are three varieties 

 of it, the yellow, white, and purple grained. 

 It was formerly cultivated for bread in some of 

 the northern countries. 



The Common or Cultivated Millet (Fr. Millet, 

 common ; Panicum miliaceum), rises with a reed- 

 like channelled stalk, from 3 to 4 '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 

 822 



MILLET. 



none, but has several small longitudinal fur- 

 rows running parallel to the midrib. The stalk 

 is terminated by a large loose panicle hanging 

 on one side. Of this species there are two va- 

 rieties, the brown and the yellow; the latter of 

 which was formerly in cultivation, and is now 

 sometimes sown for feeding poultry, and as a 

 substitute for rice. 



The Italian Millet (Panis tfltalie: Fr. Millet a 

 grappe ; Seiaria Italica, PI. 3, w), rises with a reed- 

 like stalk, nearly 4 feet high, and much thicker 

 than that of the preceding ; the leaves are also 

 broadjer. The spikes are a foot long, and twice 

 the thickness of those of the common millet, 

 but not so compact, being composed of several 

 roundish clustered spikes ; the grain is also 

 larger. There are two or three varieties of this, 

 differing only in the colour of the grain. It is 

 frequently cultivated in Italy (whence its tri- 

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

 native of both Indies, and of Cochin China. 



The Polish Millet, or manna grass of the 

 Germans (Digitaria sanguinalis, formerly Pa- 

 nicum sanguinalis, PI. 3, n), is a low, decumbent, 

 annual plant, seldom rising above 9 inches or a 

 foot high, with hairy leaves and slender pani- 

 cles. It tillers much, and forms a close tuft, 

 spreading and rooting at the joints. It is a 

 native of England, but not common. It grows 

 in abundance in Poland, and is sometimes cul- 

 tivated, the seeds being used like those of the 

 other millets as a substitute for rice or sago. 



The Great or Indian Millet (Lat. Holcus sorghum, 

 Sorghum vulgare, PI. 3, o; Fr. Sorgho, gros millet 

 d' Italic ; Ger. Sorgsamen ; It. Sagina ; Span. MeUea) 

 has a stem which rises 5 or 6 feet high, is strong, 

 reedy, and like those of the maize, but smaller. 

 The leaves are long and broad, having a deep 

 furrow through the centre, where the midrib is 

 depressed in the upper surface, and is very 

 prominent below. The leaves are 2 feet long, 

 and 2 inches broad in the middle, embracing 

 the stalks with their base. The flowers come 

 out in large panicles at the top of the stalks, 

 resembling, at first appearance, the male spikes 

 of the Turkey wheat (maize) ; these are suc- 

 ceeded by large, roundish seeds, which are 

 wrapped round with the chaff. This grain is 

 a native of India, where it is much used to feed 

 poultry, and is frequently sent to Europe for 

 the same purpose. It is much cultivated in 

 Arabia, and most parts of Asia Minor; and 

 has been introduced into Italy, Spain, Switzer- 

 land, and some parts of Germany, also into 

 China, Cochin China, and the West Indies, 

 where it grows commonly 5 or 6 feet high, or 

 more, and, being esteemed a hearty food for 

 labourers, is called negro Guinea corn. Its 

 long awns or bristles defend it from the birds. 

 In England, the autumns are seldom dry and 

 warm enough to ripen the seed well in the 

 field. In Arabia it is called dor a or durra: the 

 flour is very white, and they make good bread 

 of it, or rather cakes, about 2 inches in thick- 

 ness. The bread which they make of it in 

 some parts of Italy is dark and coarse. la 

 Tuscany it is used chiefly for feeding poultry 

 and pigeons ; sometimes for swine, kine, and 

 horses. Caesalpinus says, that cattle fed on 

 the green herb are apt to swell and die, but 

 thrive on 't when dried. They make brushes 



