Upon the whole, from the oblervations which we ourfelves have made on this Grafs, and from what is to be collected
from Authors, it appears, that if it be cultivated to any advantage it muft be in fuch meadows as are naturally | | j
wet and never drained.
The quickeft, . and perhaps, the beft, method of propagating it would be by transplanting the roots at a proper I
feafon ; and if the loll prove fuitable, from the quicknei's of its growth, and its creeping Stalk, it would foon exclude
raoft. other plants, and produce a.plentiful crop.
In foreign countries the feed of this Grafs feems to be an objedt of more importance than the grafs itfelf: the
following Is the fubftance of what Mr. Schreber has faid concerning it, (vid. Befchreibung der Grafer, p, 40ij
“ The feed has a fweet and pleafant tafte, particularly before it comes to its full growth, whence the plant has
“ acquired the name of Manna-Gra/s. Ducks and other waterrfowl feed on it with much eagernefs : L innjeus has I
** remarked, that the water-fowl are very well acquainted with the method of colledting thefe .feeds. It has bee»
** obferved likewife, that Fifti are fond of it; and that Trout in particular thrive in thofe rivers where this grafs
“ grows in plenty, and (heds its feeds; but it is not only for Birds and Fifti, but alio for Man, a palatable and nutri-
«* tious food, and has for many years paft been known at Gentlemen’s tables under the name of Manna-Grout.
“ The Manna Grafs is of two kinds; the one, Panicum fanguinale, or Coch-foot Panic Grafs ; the other, Fijlucsi
“ J?«/V<m,which we have now deferibed. The former is cultivated in feveral parts of Germany, and its feed fomewhat
“ refembles that of Millet; the latter is collected in great abundance from the plant as it grows wild in Poland]
“ Lithuania, the New Marche, and about Franckfort, and other places in Si/cjia, as alfo iw Denmark and Stveèn]
“ and hence,exported to all parts.
“ The common method they make ufe of to gather and prepare this feed in Poland, PruJJia, and the Marche, is
•C as follows. At fun-rife the feed is gathered or beat from the dewy grafs into a horfe-hair fieve, and when a
« tolerable quantity is colle&ed, it is fpread on a fheet, and dried fourteen days in thé fun : it is then thrown into
“ a kind of wooden trough or mortar, ftraw or reeds laid between it, and beat gently with a wooden peftle, fo asto
“ take off the chaff, and then winnowed. After this it is again put into the mortar, in rowsj with dried MarygoldJ
“ flowers, Apple, and Hazel leaves, and pounded until the huik is entirely feparated, and the feed appears bright;
“ it is then winnowed again, and when it is by this laft procefs made perfectly clean, it is fit for ufe. The Mary.
“ golds are added with a view to give the feeds a finer colour. The moft proper time for collefting them is in July.
“ A bufhel of the feed and chaff yields about two quarts of clean feed.
“ When boiled with milk or wine they form an extremely palatable food; and are moft commonly made ufe of
“ whole, in the manner of Sago, to which they are in general preferred.”
In the month of October laft, 1 difeovered in a watery ditch, which runs through a meadow not far from Kent-
ftreet Road, an uncommon appearance in fome of the feeds of this grafs; and, bn a farther examination, I found]
whole Panicles, the feeds of which were affe&ed inofimilar manner; inftead of being of their natural fize and colour,!
they .were enlarged to a very great degree, aflumed externally a blaekifh colour, aud were more or lefs incurvated.
Struck with the novelty as well as oddity of the appearance, I conjectured at firft that it was a difeafe pccafioned by
fome InfeCt; I examined it more attentively, but could not find the leaft cayfe to fuppofe that an infed had bee»
concerned in it. The furface of fome of thefe feeds was rough, and chopped; they were light as to weight, inter«
nally of a whitifli colour, infipid in their tafte, but not difagreeable, Having a little before this been favoured with
a fight of fome horned Rie, it now occurred to me, that this was the fame difeafe which had been faid to affed the
Rie only, and farther enquiry confirmed my Conjedure.
As this fingular difeafe of the Rie has firft been noticed by the French, and as fomé very uncommon ciicumflmes
have attended it, it cannot fail of proving acceptable to our readers today before them the fubftance of-what they
have faid concerning it. In the Hijloire de V Academie Royale des Sciences there is an account given of a particular
fpecies of Gangrene or Mortification which. attacked many perfons in fome particular provinces of Fiance. “ In
“ began generally at the toes, and foWtimes fpread as high as the thigh. Out of fifty people there was but one;
“ that was attacked with this difeafe in the hands; and wftat was equally remarkable, there were no females affected.
“ with it, except fome little Girls.
“ It appears that this fingular malady attacked only the lower fort of people, and that too in years'bf fcarcity;;
“ that it proceeded from bad nouriftiment, and principally from easing bread made of a certain black and difeaMI
«'* corn called fir got, from the grains affuming fomewhat of the form of a Cock’s Spur. Vid. Jig. 12.