152 NIGERIA NORTHERN PROVINCES 



8. " Asidigero." Small pink-shelled seed with red 

 adherent envelope. 



9. " Mazgua." Very large whitish seed with a straw- 

 coloured envelope. 



10. " Karandeffi." Seed with red shell and red ad- 

 herent envelope. Never used for food, but employed in 

 native medicine, as well as for the production of the 

 red dye used for leather (Bull. Imp. Inst., vol. vi. [1908]). 



11. "Takanda" or " Karantalaka." The seed has 

 not been examined, but the stem contains a large 

 quantity of saccharine juice, and the plant is grown 

 entirely as a cattle food. Probably identical with 

 S. saccharum. 



The first four kinds are regularly employed as food, 

 and are found growing as a mixed crop ; although the 

 white grains are more appreciated and frequently pre- 

 dominate. Nos. 5 and 6 are not considered so good for 

 human food, but are largely employed for feeding cattle 

 and horses, for which latter purpose they are greatly in 

 demand. No. 7 is used for the same purpose as the last, 

 but is a rarity and of no special value. These seven kinds 

 are grown as six-months' crops, and are harvested in 

 October when the rains cease. No. 8 is a three-months' 

 cropping kind, which in this particular resembles 

 " Gero " (Pennisetum typhoideum), as its native name 

 indicates. The grain is much smaller than the others, 

 and it is said to be cultivated to some extent in the 

 Sokoto Province. No. 9 is a variety which is said to be 

 cultivated in Bornu in the fertile depressions which retain 

 moisture for long periods, or by means of irrigation from 

 the rivers. (See Bulletin of the Imperial Institute, vol. iv. 

 [1906], p. 226.) 



Guinea corn is permitted to occupy the land for a 

 number of years successively, being often grown with 

 " bulrush millet " (Pennisetum typhoideum). In this case 

 the millet occupies the furrow whilst the Guinea corn 

 is on the ridge, and this is reversed when the soil from 

 the ridge has been hoed into the furrow and the previous 

 ridge becomes the furrow. In many parts of the northern 

 districts it is customary to permit the Guinea corn root- 

 stocks to remain in the ground for two or three years, 

 and to fill in the vacancies only with new seed when the 

 old plants die. By this system it is found that the crops 



