The Cereals. 



35 



Italian millet (Setaria italica); and Chena {Panicum miliaceum). 

 Besides these, other kinds are cultivated, such as Panicum miliare, 

 and Paspalum scrobiculatum, while the grain of a few wild kinds 

 is used in times of scarcity. 



The following table shows the number of acres in 1882-83 

 under two of the chief species of millet (Jodr and Bdjra) in five 

 Provinces from which the returns are fairly complete : 



More recently, the total area under millets has been estimated 

 at 33^ million acres. 



Asa rule the millets are all Kharif, or autumnal harvest crops, 

 being generally sown in the early weeks of the monsoon, and in 

 June or July, and reaped in October and November. 



Next in importance to the millets comes the group of the 

 larger cereal grains. This includes wheat, rice, barley, and maize. 

 The importance of the Indian wheats and of rice is discussed with 

 some degree of fulness in the pages of the Handbook devoted to 

 these cereals. While wheat approaches in composition that of a 

 standard food, rice is very far from doing so, both in regard to 

 albuminoids and mineral matters. Much more pulse for example, 

 must be introduced into a rice diet than into one of wheat or into 

 one of millet, in order that the chemical proportions of the several 

 nutrients required for a perfect food may be reached. 



The chief methods of preparing or cooking the cereal grains 

 for the food of man are mentioned under the heads of the 

 several kinds to which they more particularly apply. (See, for 

 example, under Rice, p. "Ji, Maize, p. 66, Bulrush-millet, p. 59.) 



The following table shows the number of acres, in 1882-83, 

 under the two chief larger cereals, namely wheat and rice, in five 



D 2 



