298 CHAPTER XVII 



MILLETS (Mannas). 



In European agriculture these play a different role to 

 that in Asiatic and some African countries. In the latter 

 countries millets have been grown chiefly as cereals, whereas 

 in the former they are cultivated almost entirely as hay crops. 

 It is because of this duality in use that a number of grasses 

 are usually designated " millets," in distinction to the grasses 

 grown tor hav or pasture. 



The cultivation of millets in South Africa has increased 

 very httle, if at all. They are still grown by the natives for 

 their grain, and as a quick summer catch-crop by a fair number 

 of our farmers. All the millets are rapid-growing summer 

 annuals, usually having an extremely low water requirement, 

 and as such they are admirably suited to " dry-land " 

 agriculture. 



The following are the principal millets grown in South 

 Africa : — 



Setaria italica. — These are the Foxtail Millets, and are 

 those most commonly found in the Union. 



Varieties. — (1) Boer Manna or Common. — This is one 

 of the earhest varieties of this group, and is our most popular 

 variety. It is fine-stemmed, leafy, smaller inflorescence than 

 German, with small yellow seeds in a cylindrical, fairly com- 

 pact head. The variety now called Boer Manna is undoubtedly 

 German Millet. 



(2) German is usually about three wrecks later than Boer 

 Manna, is much coarser in the leaves and stem, and has a 

 larger, less compact, and distinctly lobed head. The yield is 

 very much higher than Boer Manna, but the quality of hay is 

 not so good. Golden Wonder is a finer strain selected from 

 German. 



(3) Siberian. — This variety is finer and earlier than Boer 

 Manna, inferior in yielding capacity, and while still grown in 

 South Africa is by no means popular. It is readily distin- 

 guished by its orange-coloured seeds. The ear is smaller and 

 more compact than that of Boer Manna. 



(4) Hungarian. — This is a fine-strawed variety, with 

 small, compact heads and seeds mixed in colour — yellow, black 

 and purple. It also is grown in various parts of the Union, 

 but is not receiving much attention. 



History. — Setaria italica is probably a native of Southern 

 Asia, and is of very ancient cultivation, records showing that 

 it was grown in Cliina, 2700 B.C. 



