498 • On Millet. 
ON MILLET. 
BY E. EMMONS. 
From some cause or causes not well known to the author, millet 
is rarely cultivated. I may however conjecture that it is owing 
to the smallness of the seed, which in itself appears of but little 
value. It may be due to the coarseness of the stalk when ripe, 
which unquestionably diminishes its value for our common stock, 
or it may be due to a misapprehension of the value of its grain. 
Whatever may be the cause of its neglect, even though this 
neglect is just and proper, still it will be useful as I believe to 
state briefly its composition; for it is only by this kind of know- 
ledge that we can determine its true value as an article of food. 
In investigating the composition and character of our cultivated 
plants, it is necessary that the proportion of water and ash should 
be first determined. I give therefore for this purpose the following 
results. 
J. The millet plant, cut when in blossom, 
Gives in - - - 308'40 grains, 
Dry matter, - - 103-50 
Water, - - - 204-90 - - - 66-43 per ct. 
Ash, - - - - 11-35 - - - 3-68 
Ash calculated upon the dry matter, ... 10-96 
Dry matter, _---... 33*56 
Millet stalk and leaves, when ripe, 
Gives in - - - 2670 grains, 
Dry, ... 1309 
Water, - - - 1361 - - - 50-97 per ct. 
Ash, . - - - 99-73 - - - 3-735 
Calculated dry, 7*619 
Dry matter, ------- 48-65 
Millet seed or grain, 
Dried in the shade, - - 840 grains, 
Ash, 28-615 - 3-52 
The composition of the ripe straw of millet is as follows: 
Elements contained in a tun of straw. 
Silica, - - 53-750 - - - 44-908 lbs. 
PhospJiates oflAme. 
Magnesia and iron. 
Carbonate of lime, 
Magnesia, 
Potash, 
Soda, 
Sulphuric acid. 
Chlorine, 
Carbonic acid. 
It will be observed that a little over one half of the inorganic 
18-150 
15-164 
•400 - 
- 0-334 
•430 
0-360 
17^395 - 
14-533 
1^525 
1-274 
2'500 - 
- 2-088 
0-512 
0-427 
1-056 
