24 



[Jan. 1907. 



C'odai, T., signifies dry months, Karathu, T., and Kalu, S. Black, this 

 variety is grown in the dry months. Vellai, T., Ella, S. = white or whitish. 

 Mari, the wife of Vin-rish-tee, the Sanscrit God of rain, is used as the equivalent 

 for the rainy season, at which time this variety is cultivated. 



Eleusine corocana Gaertn, An annual, stem, 1—2 feet, (Roxburgh for India 

 says 2 — 4 feet) tufted, erect, compressed, glabrous ; leaves hilarious, linear-lanceo- 

 late, flat, flaccid, very slightly hairy, base not contracted ; sheath compressed ; 

 ligule a ridge of hairs ; spikes digitate, many, lower ones sometimes detached, 

 incurved or erect ; rhachis flat, waved ; spikelets sessile, crowded in two rows ; 

 empty glumes oblong-ovate, overlapping one another, acute or with a mucro, II. 

 larger than I., margins membranous, keels scaberulous, flowering glumes similar 

 to empty glumes but larger, all with bright green veins ; seed free from its pericarp, 

 brown or red, transversely wrinkled. The plant with incurved spikes is the 

 typical species, those varieties with straight spikes are E. stricta, Roxb, but 

 now considered varieties of E. coracana. the only difference being in the growth 

 of the spikes. 



Kurakkan is cultivated throughout Ceylon, India, (in Mysore it is known 

 as " Ragi," and forms the staple food of the rural population.) 



Hackel states that " in many parts of Africa it forms the principal food 

 in spite of the bitter taste of the flour." 



It is said to be the most prolific of cultivated grasses and yields good 

 harvests from very poor soils. In Abyssinia and in Sikhim a kind of beer is 

 prepared from the grain and is in general use by the natives, (Bentley.) The wild 

 form Eleusine indica, Gaert, Belatana, S., is said to be a remedy for sprains in man 

 or beast, pounded up with saffron and salt, slightly boiled and applied hot. 



(To be continued.) 



The Cultivation of Chillie Peppers. 



A correspondent desires information on the subject of chillie growing. We 

 cannot do better than show what is being done in countries where chillie growing is a 

 settled industry. The information is given in " The Mexican Investor" :— 



How the Plants are Grown.— A hot bed is made by excavating about 

 16 inches deep ; fill in to within 4 inches of the top with damp stable manure, tramp- 

 ing down very solidly. Spread about 4 inches of sandy loam over the manure. The 

 seed is sown quite thickly over the loam, and then about h inch of loose sand soil 

 placed evenly over it, and all kept damp. When the plants havetw r o or three leaves, 

 thin to 1£ inches apart each way. The plants must be watered while in the hot bed 

 by sprinkling. Great care should be taken to protect from frost. 



Soil and Preparation.— Rich sandy loam is the best for the chillie pepper; 

 It should be ploughed deeply, and be put in a state of thorough cultivation. Ridges 

 should be made 3 feet apart, and the plants set 21 feet apart on the ridges. All 

 plants must be on a water line, and to get this the ridges should be made, water run 

 down the furrows, and the plants about two inches above the water-mark. This 

 insures every plant receiving water when irrigated. Plant as soon as danger from 

 frost is over. 



