I
and may even be utilised for bread and cakes. The stem can
be used as a culinary vegetable. See also the elaborate chemical
reports by Dr. P . Collier, Washington, 1880-82 ; further, the essay
by Commissioner Hon. G. B. Loring, 1883. In connexion with the
new and extensive irrigation-sclieme of the Victorian Government,
initiated by the Honorable Alfred Deakin, the culture also of the
bngar-Millet should assume grand dimension in regions hitherto too
dry for it.
An able report from a committee of the National Academy of
Science, submitted to the Senate of the United States on the sugar-
producing capacity of the Sorghum, gives the following conclusions :
JLliat trom about 4,500 most accurate analyses, instituted by Dr
Collier in the Department of Agriculture in Washington, the presene«!
cane-sugar m the juice of the best varieties of Sorghum (Amber
Honduras and Orange) in such quantity is established, as to equal
tlie yield ot that of sugar-cane, the average quantity of crystallisable
sugar in the mice being 16 per cent., the average yield of juice in
stripped stalks from plants grown a t Washington being 58 per cent,
the sugar really obtainable by ordinary process of manufacture from
the juice being 11-30 per cent. I t is further demonstrated, th a t the
borg lum-stalks should, be cut only, when the seeds are already of a
doughy consistence or still harder, th a t the stalks should be worked
up immediately after cutting ; further it is shown, that the sugar
from Sorghum is not inferior to th a t from cane or beet, and th a t
excellent sugar can likewise be obtained from maize ; th a t Sorghum
when advancing to maturity, will resist some frost ; th a t no more’
than 12 2 cent, of the sugar is lost by the evaporation of the juice
to syrup, quite as great a loss taking place in the juice of sugar-cane
by detacation, skimming and inversion (change into glucose or grape-
sugars). The committee considered this new Sorghnm-industrv
placed already on a safe and profitable footing. Sorghum-stubbles
are of surprising value as pastoral feed. Siigar-Sorghum was introduced
into the United States for rural purposes only 30 years ago •
but Its culture spread with unexampled rapidity there, having only
Its counterpart in the tea- and cinchona-cnlture of the last decennia in
India. The process of manufacture of sugar from Sorghum is not
more difliciilt than th a t of cane, and less complicated than that of beet
Some varieties mature in 80 days, others require twice th a t time, thè
Orange-variety becoming perennial, and is with the Amber-varietv
most saccharine, while the H onduras-variety gives a very heavy crop-
the broomcorn-variety is poor in sugar. Sorghum will thrive well in
sandy loam too light for maize and in a clime too dry for th a t corn
and can be grown closer, In North-Western Victoria it grew at thè
rate of 5 feet in 2 months [ J . P . Eckert]. The variety A. bicolor
(Roxburgh) ripens its seeds in Lower India within three or four
months of the time of sowing, the produce being often upwards of
one hundredfold, and the gram particularly wholesome for human
sustenance. Sorghum giganteum (Edgeworth) represents a form of
Andropog-on s a c o h a ro id e s , Swartz. (A. argenteus, De Candolle.)
Pronounced by Leyhold to be one of the best pasture-grasses of
the Cordilleras of Chili.
A n d ro p o g o n S c hoe n a n th u s , Linné. {A. Martini, Roxburgh.)
Southern Asia, extending to Japan, also in Africa. One of the
“ Lemon-grasses.” I t will live in arid places. The medicinal Sirri-
Oil is prepared from the root. The Australian A. bombycinus
(R. Brown) approaches in affinity this species.
A n d ro p o g o n so o p a riu s , Michaux.
North-America. Takes permanent possession of sandy or otherwise
poor land, and is regarded as one of the best forage-resouroes of
the prairies.
A n d ro p o g o n s e ric e u s , R. Brown.
Hotter regions of Australia, even in desert-tracts, also extending to
New Caledonia and the Philippine-Islands. A fattening perennial
pasture-grass, worthy of praise. Yields enormously during the dry
summer months [F r. Turner]. Proved one of the best pasture-
grasses in North-Western Australia [Isaac Tyson].
A n d ro p o g o n S o rg h um , Brotero.* (Sorghum rulgare, Persoon.)
The large “ Indian m ille t” or “ Guinea-corn ” also “ Durra.”
W.armer parts of Asia, but according to Alph. de Candolle perhaps
indigenous only in tropical Africa. I t matures seed even at Christiania
in Norway [Schuebeler], A tall annual plant. The grains
can be converted into bread, porridge, and other preparations of food.
I t is a very prolific corn; Sir Jo h n Hearsay counted 12,700 seeds on
one plant ; it is particularly valuable for green fodder. The panicles
are used for carpet-brooms, the-fibrous roots for velvet-brushes. The
grain of this millet is in value superior to that of A. saccharatus. A
variety (A. caffrorum, Kunth) yields the “ Kaffir-corn,” which sort
is particularly drought-resisting [James Henderson], The “ Imphee”
affords a superior white food-grain. Even A. saccharatus can be
only regarded as an extreme form of A. Sorghum on the high authority
of Prof. Hackel. In Central Australia it ripens within three
months [Rev. H. Kempe]. Succeeds in dry regions, where Euch-
laena does not come to full development. A kind of beer, called
“ Merisa,” is prepared from the seed. Many others of the numerous
species of Andropogon, from both hemispheres, deserve our attention.
A n em o n e P u ls a tiU a , Linné.
Europe and Northern Asia. On limestone-soil. This pretty perennial
herb is of some medicinal importance, acting in many respects
similarly to aconitum. A. pratensis and A. patens (Linné) are of like
value, the latter extending to North-America.