Jan. 1907-] 



23 



Edible Products. 



back to an early date also in Egypt, and in the Lake Dwellings of the Stone Age 

 it is found in such quantities that it must be regarded as the main bread supply 

 of the prehistoric peoples." Tanahal is said to delight in a light, elevated, dry 

 soil, it is useful for making conjee or is made into " Milk Rice." It seems to be 

 eaten as a luxury, not being grown in sufficient quantities for general use. 



Pennisetum typhoideum, Rich., Pull Paddy, or Pull Rice—Kani-pan-pillu, T., 

 Polu, S., Trimen gives Kumba as the Tamil synonym for this cereal, and it is known 

 by that name in the Madras Presidency. 



An annual, stem 3—6 feet, erect, simple or branched from the base, stout 

 or slender, sometimes as thick as the middle finger, solid, (Trimen) leaf flat, broad, 

 base rounded, hairy ; sheath stem clasping, round ; nodes very hairy, spikes 4 * £ 

 inches, (Trimen's Flora 6—12 x £ — \\ inches) cylindric, a more open spike than in the 

 above two errasses, erect, with a soft bottle brush appearance ; spikelets oblong, long 

 stalked, anthers much exserted and their tips bearded. Involucral bristles minutely 

 toothed or ciliate, the central ones plumose, colored ; flowering glumes smooth 

 shining, with three converging veins near the apex. The true seed readily separates 

 from its envelopes (flowering glume and palea) is obovoid with large embryo and an 

 oval bordered hylum. 



One of the distinctive differences between the wild forms of Setmta and 

 Pennisetum, is that in Setaria the spikelets fall at maturity, the bristles being 

 persistent ; in Pennisetum, the involucral bristles fall off with the spikelets at 

 maturity ; the result of cultivation has, however, had the effect of rendering the 

 bristles persistent in P. typhoideum. 



Hackel calls it Pearl Millet, and states that the original form and native 

 country are unknown. Further, " this is an important agricultural grass in Central 

 Africa. The fruit is used for Mush ("Kuskus"). It is also grown in Arabia Felix 

 and the East Indies. Cultivated in the Southern United States for fodder." 



Trimen says, "it is Bajri of the Hindoos and the Bull-rush Millet of the 

 English," 



Roxburgh states, " The Hindoo farmer knows four other varieties of thi» 

 species, all of which he cultivates." 



Polu is used for making milk-rice or boiled with coconut milk into a conjee 

 but is not considered of much account as no amount of boiling softens the grain* 

 It is cultivated chiefly (so I am told) for the use of servants, but in times of scarcity 

 of paddy and consequently enhanced value of the same, paddy is sold and 

 polu eaten. 



The Maniagar of Delft writes regarding this species : " It is not largely 

 sown by the people, although it is admitted (contrary to the opinion expressed 

 above) to be the best food of all dry grains. Ants carry not only this kind of grain 

 to their nests but also other small grains of the Chamai species. It appears that the 

 grains so stored in the nests all germinate with the first rains and each ant hole puts 

 forth a cluster." 



Eleusine coracana, Gaertn, Kurakkan, S., Nacheri. T.— Of this cereal several 

 varieties are distinguished according to time of sowing and the number of months 

 they take to mature. I have received "2 months" — "4 months" kurakhan, any 

 difference between the seeds of which I cannot distinguish. 



As stated in list, I have not seen the varieties known as 1. Codai or 

 Karathu Cappe, T. s Kalu Kurakhan, S,, 2, Mari or Vellai Cappe ; T., Ella 

 Kurakhan, S. 



