. On Millet. 499 
matter is silica; that nearly one-fifth is a phosphate of lime and 
magnesia, and one-sixth potash. From an acre of millet there 
would probably be removed in valuable inorganic matter J 34*7 
lbs. of soluble silica, 45-48 lbs. of phosphates, 52-17 of potash, 
7-50 of sulphuric acid. 
The inorganic matter of the seed of millet is as follows: 
Silica, - - 44-294 Soda, - - 8-239 
Phosphates of Lnme. Sulphuric acid, trace. 
Magnesia and iron, 34*555 Chlorine, - trace. 
Carbonate of lime, none. Phosphate of the 
Magnesia, - none. alkalies, - -620 
Potash, - - 7-178 Organic matter, 1-459 
An acre of the grains of millet will be deprived of 62-451 lbs. 
of silica, 47-313 of the phosphates, and ] 9-8 13 of potash and 
soda. 
To exhibit the nutritive power of millet seed I made a proxi- 
mate analysis of the organic matter. 100 grains of the flour 
gave, 
Starch, - 34-840 
Albumen, 8-225 
Casein, -------.. 4*765 
Dexterine or gum, ----.. 4-080 
Gluten and oil, 2-400 
Fibre and matter insoluble in water or alcohol, 20-230 
Sugar and extract, -..-.. 10-200 
Water, 11-061 
The oil though not accurately determined, exists in the seed in 
about 2 per cent. 
From the foregoing analysis of millet we find it a valuable 
vegetable product, possessing in its grain a large per centage of 
nutritive matter. It is rich in nitrogenous products, as albumen 
and casein, and not at all deficient in fattening and respiratory 
elements, as oil and starch. Compared with wheat or Indian 
corn, except in oil, it exceeds both in its power of sustaining life. 
For bread it will probably be rarely employed, in consequence of 
the coarseness of its flour and its dark color. But for the food of 
animals it seems that it might be cultivated w-ith profit, as it yields 
from 65 to 70 bushels of seed to the acre. When fed to cattle it 
requires grinding; it is however safe to feed it to swine in its 
entire state, though it would undoubtedly be more profitable to 
grind it even for them, inasmuch as its outer covering or cuticle 
is highly silicious, as will be seen on consulting the foregoing 
analysis. 
The straw of millet, or rather the plant, when intended for hay 
or fodder by itself, should be cut when it is in blossom, as at this 
period it is not so coarse as when it stands till ripe. For fodder, 
it seems to possess about the same value as timothy, though rather 
