15 



The use of the seed for human food, the heavy yield obtain- 

 able, and the low cost at which it can be produced, have sug- 

 gested its possible suitability as a concentrated stock-food. In 

 order to determine this point, the Agricultural Hupply Association 

 has forwarded a consignment of Teff seed to the Imperial Institute 

 and has arranged that a careful test be made by large firms 

 engaged in the manufacture of concentrated stock-foods. If Teff 

 seed could be produced profitably at Jd. per lb. (8s. 4d. per bag) it 

 is possible that it could be used in this way; but at a higher price 

 than maize, it is doubtful whether it would be purchased. 



ANALYSIS OF TEFF GRAIN. 



The grain (" seed ") of red Teff was analysed by Professor A. 

 H. Church, M.A., F.C.S., who reported (3) as follows:— 

 Water ... ... ... ... 15.3 



Albuminoids 



Starch, etc. 



Oil 



Cellulose, etc. 



Ash 



8.3 

 68.1 

 2.8 

 2.8 

 2.0 



100.0 



The ratio between the albuminoids, or flesh formers, and the 

 heat givers, or force producers (calculated as starch), says Pro- 

 fessor Church, is here 1 : 9. This ratio, he considers less satisfactory 

 from the point of view of a human foodstuff, than that of the 

 majority of the millets, but is near to that of the broom-corn millet 

 (Panicum miliare). 



YIELD OF SEED. 



Bruce (1) observes that " the fruit, or seed, is oblong, and is 

 not so large as the head of the smallest pin, yet it is very prolific, 

 and produces these seeds in such q'lantity as to yield a very 

 abundant crop in the quantity of meal." 



The first crop grown by me in South Africa yielded seed at the 

 rate of 1,500 lbs. per acre. (11.) Mr. J. Grierson obtained an 

 iverage of 1,640 lbs. per acre from 7 acres, in 1912. 



WEIGHT OF SEED. 



Teff seed, being small and hard, packs well and weighs heavily. 

 A commercial bag of seed weighs 225 lbs. net. Chondrometer 

 weights, taken at the Johannesburg and other Agricultural Shows, 

 over a series of years, show a range of variation between 60 and 

 72 lbs. per bushel. 



We do not know that the best seed necessarily weighs the 

 heaviest, but it is probable that this is the case, other things, such 

 as purity, being eaual. 



In judging Teff-scd, weight per standard bushel is usually 

 taken into account, and a good show sample will weigh up to 72 lbs. 



QUALIFICATIONS OF GOOD SEED. 

 Freedom from we^d-seeds — especially Mest-brede (Amaran- 

 tus panieulatus and A. Thunhergii) is an important consideration, for 



