336 



INDIAN MILLET 03. GUINEA COIiN. 



form tlie staple food of a larger number of tlie population than per- 

 haps all the other cereals put together. 



A third part of the inhabitants of the globe feed upon the different 

 millets, especially those of Africa, the greater part of Turkey, Persia, 

 and India. In Japan about 35,000,000 bushels of various kinds of 

 millet are raised annually. Millet forms the principal sustenance of 

 the people of Bokhara. The grain there yields so abundant a harvest 

 that there is a large quantity for export. The seeds of millet are 

 excellent for food both for domestic animals and man. The grain 

 mixed with that of wheat gives an excellent bread, though a little 

 heavy ; but generally it is boiled with milk, like maize meal ; it 

 swells considerably in water. Millet fattens poultry in a very short 

 time. The stalks serve for heating ovens or for cooking food in 

 countries where fuel is scarce. The panicles of some, after the separa- 

 tion of the grain, form excellent brooms ; the sale of these brooms in 

 Italy, in Spain, France, and North America, is so remunerative that 

 they enter largely into the value of the profits of cultnre. 



Millet is considered in Texas one of the very best for feeding 

 horses, oxen, milch cows, and sheep during the winter months. The 

 yield is very heavy ; so productive has it been found that in many 

 regions of the State it nearly supersedes the use of fodder. 



The two genera Androjpogon and Sorghum are closely allied. Some 

 of the best authorities consider the difference so slight as to warrant 

 their union into one. General Munro is now at work upon a mono- 

 graph of the Millets, and before long we may have some clear and 

 definite information respecting them. 



The species are very imperfectly understood, and as yet badly 

 described. Professor Parlatore, in a collection shown at the London 

 Exhibition in 1862, enumerated the following species of Sorghum : — 



Sorghum compactum. 

 „ durra. 

 „ nigerricum. 

 „ nigrum (S. vulgare). 

 „ vulgare (three varieties). 



Sorghum saccharatum, Moencli. 

 „ caff7'arum, Beauv, 

 „ cernuura (c'l'ium), "Willd, 

 „ elongation, Beauv. 

 „ glycyckilum. 



The specific limits of the various Sorghums are not well ascer- 

 tained. They are, however, much cultivated in different parts of 

 Africa, in the West Indies, and various districts of North America 

 and India, and have been introduced into Australia. 



The large Indian Millet or Guinea Coen (Andropogon Sorghum, 

 Brotero ; Sorghum vulgare, Persoon ; Holcus Sorghum, Lin.), is grown 

 in the warmer parts of Asia, and is very prolific ; the grains can be 

 converted into bread, porridge, and other preparations of food ; it is 

 the yellow cholum and jowarree of some districts of India. This is a 

 beautiful grass, resembling in appearance Indian corn. It bears a 

 small yellow seed, which when crushed makes a good auxiliary food 

 for cattle or sheep. It grows on all kinds of cultivated soil, but best on 

 those that are thoroughly cultivated and well manured. Indeed, few 

 crops will pay better for high cultivation. This valuable plant has 

 attracted a great deal of attention during the last few years, and has 

 been highly recommended as a fodder crop. It is best suited for 

 cultivation in countries where the temperature seldom falls below 



