64 



CASE No. 167. Italian Millet {Setaria itdtica, Beauv.). An 

 gg^ annual, said to be originally a native of China, Japan, and the 

 Indian Archipelago. It is nutritious and digestible, and is 

 much valued as an article of food in some parts of India. 

 Numerous samples are exhibited both of the ears and of the 

 seeds, husked and unhusked, from India, Siam, Japan, &c 

 Some mounted specimens are shown in Case 86. 



Observe seeds of Bajri or Bulrush Millet {Pennisetum 

 typhoideum^ Rich.). {See No. 162, Case 85.) 



Leaves also are shown of Lygemn Spartum^ L., a native of 

 the Mediterranean region, and known amongst paper makers as 

 Albardin. 



Tribe II. Mayde.e. — No. 168. Job's Tears {Coix 

 Lachryma-Jobi, L.). Plants bearing fruits are exhibited from 

 India and West Coast of Africa, also numerous varieties of seeds 

 showing the great differences in shape and colour assumed by 

 them in different countries. The nearly globose, slate- 

 coloured seeds are mostly used for rosaries, necklaces, bracelets, 

 &c. The centre part of the seed is edible, and forms an 

 occasional article of food to the people in Assam. In Burma 

 the grains are parched and eaten like Indian corn. 



Note seeds of C. Lachryma-Johi, L., var. frumentacea, Oliv., 

 from India. Also seeds of C. Lachryma-Johi, L., var. steno- 

 carpa^ the elongated form of which is very distinct from all the 

 others, and the colour is of a light cream. They are much used 

 for ornamenting the dresses of the Karens, a semi-aboriginal 

 tribe inhabiting certain districts of Lower Burma. They have 

 recently attracted some attention in this country for decorative 

 purposes. (See Kew Bulletin^ 1888, pp. 144, 145.) 



The lower part of this Case and the whole of Case 89 ar© 

 devoted to Indian Corn or Maize {Zea Mays, L.). A hand- 

 some, erect, annual grass, native originally of South America, 

 introduced at an early period into the Old World, and now a 

 most important cultivated food plant in the East Indies and 

 North Africa ; it is also grown in Southern Europe, and with 

 us as an ornamental garden plant. The use of Indian corn in 

 this country as a food product has very much increased of late 

 years, over 32 000,000 cwts. having been imported during the 

 year 1893. It ie from this grain that "Corn Flours" are 

 prepared. 



A large series of ears and grains of maize from Siam, India, 

 North and South America, Natal, Sierra Leone, &c., is shown 

 in this Case and the next. 



