ON THE MILLETS AND OTHER SMALL-GRAINED GRASSES. 417 



cultivated for its grain, which is much used for food. The produce in 

 good soil is upwards of a hundred fold. Cattle are very fond of the 

 straw ; the latter is also a substitute for forage for horses, when grain is 

 not obtainable. There are three varieties grown in Madras, known as 

 Munja Cholum, Mootho Cholum, and Secapoo Cholum. 



Sorghum vulgare is cultivated in the southern provinces of France, 

 up to the environs of Macon, for feeding poultry, under the names of 

 great millet, great panic sagi na, &c In Egypt the name of Dourah, 

 or Dora, is specially applied to this millet. The S. bicolor, Willd., is 

 also used for the same purposes. 



By some, Holcus compactus, Linn. ; H. cernuus, Willd., is thought 

 to be but a variety of S. vulgare. It is occasionally cultivated for 

 food. It differs in the panicle being more dense, more shaggy, 

 depressed, and twisted, when young. The seeds are very white. 



In Algeria, in the Sahara, and the Tell, two species of Sorghum are 

 cultivated. 



1. A variety of the great sorgho [Sorghum vulgare}) of which the grain 

 is red, and the panicles form excellent brooms. The stem attains a 

 height of six or seven feet. 



2. The Bechna of the Arabs, S. cernuus, or the Doura of the west, 

 resembling S. saccharatus, which recent experiments have proved 

 well suited for the manufacture of sugar. It is the righiffa of the Arabs. 



3. The benitche of the Arabs (Penicillaria spicata), sometimes called 

 candle millet, is also grown in Algeria. 



It is worthy of remark that the natives of Upper Egypt call the Sorg- 

 hums ' ' Baalee," or Doora, whereas the Zulu-kafir's name for the same 

 plant is " Ma-baalee," the Ma being merely a prefix which they give to a 

 great number of other proper names. Of Sorghums there are in Egypt six 

 kinds, viz. Doora Sayfee, or Baalee, D. Hamra, D. Kaydee, D. Byood, 

 or Dimeeree ; D. Owaygeh, and D. Saffra. 



Wilkinson says that the Holcus saccharatus, (Arabic name, Dokhn), 

 is grown about Asouan, in Nubia, and the Oasis. 



S. halepense, Holcus halepensis, Linn., H. exiguus, Forsk. In this 

 species the panicle is loose, pyramidal, and ordinarily purple. 



An amazingly prolific variety of millet was introduced into Jamaica 

 a few years ago from Texas. The precise species has not been deter- 

 mined. It grows in a much cooler climate than the Sorghum vulgare, 

 and it woidd be desirable to test it as a mountain corn. It is not the 

 Sorghum cernuum of the mountaineers of Munnipore,in India, for although 

 that is a straggling millet, it is heavy grained, whereas this grows thin 

 and light. A mountain millet is a desirable acquisition for some of our 

 colonies. The stalks and straw of all the Sorghums being much valued 

 as a fodder for cattle, an upland species woidd materially assist the 

 mountaineer in feeding close-penned stock. Everything that gives 

 variety to the food of a people is an addition to their resources beyond 

 the mere multiplication of victual. It augments their home economy, 



