PANICUM, the millet genus of grasses of tho order of Panic,acem. Species of the genera Era grostris, Panicum, Pennisetum, Poa, Rotbiilla, Saccharuni, and Villa are the grasses of the Doab.
Tho seeds of Panicum Italieurn, miliaceum, millare, and sanguinale are used aa food for man, Cattle are fond of P. commutatum, helopus, jumentosum, and as grasses. The genus contains a very large number of species, which abound in the hot parts of the world, and a few extend to higher latitudes and ascend the cool mountains of hot countries. They are valuable as paature graasts, and for their seals, which form a large portion of the food of the poorer classes of many nations. Some of the species of Panicum of the Brazils are of gigantic stature, and yet tender and delicate in their herbage. The Coapitn do Angola of Brazil grows 6 or 7 feet high, and other equally gigantic, species constitute the field crops on the banks of the Amazon ; while P.junientomm, or Guinea grass, forms the most valuable pasture for cattle in Jamaica.
Panicum brizanthum, Ilochstetter, from Abys sinia to Nepal, a large-grained perennial millet grass.
Panicum commutatum, Nees.
Panicum ciliare, Changali gaddi, . TEL Makur-jalee„ . . HIND. ChEaggaii gaddi, . „ Cattle are very fond of this grass.
Panicum cotnpositunt, Linn., of S. Asia, E. Australia, Polynesia, and New Zealand, a soft bladed prolific grass, valuable for forest ground.
Panicum flavidum, Betz.
P. brezoides, Roxb. I Burti . of the Dzalurt.
. Cattle are fond of it.
Panicum frutnentaceum, Rarb.
Shama, . . . BENG. Soak, . . . . ICANGRA.
Kathlee, . . . DEKII. Phyamaka, . . . SANSK.
Sanwa, Bajri, . . Huxn. Saou, Shamoola, . SIND. Damra-shama, . . „ Bonta ahama, . . . TEL.
A wholesome and nourishing grain used by the poorer classes. There are several varieties of it, which yield from 50 to 60 fold ; it delights in a light, tolerably dry, rich soil; the same ground yields two crops between the first of the rains in June—July and the end of January, in the Circars, but only one crop in the Northern Provinces.
Panicum helopus, Trin.
P. hirsutum, KamOplismenus hirsutus,_ScA. P. Konigii, Jalgantee, . . Base. Cattle are very fond of it.
Panicum Italicum, Linn., Italian millet.
Setaria Italica, Beauv. Penniaetum Italicum. R. B.
Deno, . . . ARAL Shall, Pingi, . KASII.
Kangni, Kunju, Ba.no.,HD. Terms, Navaria IIALEAL. Nawanay, . . Css. Arzun, Gal, . . . Pus, Salan, Kauni, Shalu, Ca EN. I'rayingu, Kun-u, SASSE.
dually Demur. Kerang, Kora-lCang, Sum.
Kang, Kora kang, . Gor. Tanahal,. . SINGH.
Kora, Kala-kangni HIND. Kusht, Shak, of Suri.s.r. Ohiurr, Kher, . JREt.va. Teonay, Kora, TAM., TEL.
This millet is grown in India and Europe. Seeds small, roundish, straw-coloured ; pericarp brittle, with a round and partially pellucid grain, alimen tary. Tho grain is prized by the natives of India, who make cakes of it and also prepare it as porridge. For tho purposes of pantry it is very little inferior to wheat, and when boiled with milk, forms a light and pleasant meal for invalids. It is grown in abundance in the southern part of Europe, par ticularly in Portugal, where it is termed Nlitho Painco. It is rarely grown in the Panjab plains, but is commonly cultivated in the Himalaya, occasionally up to 6500 feet.
Panicum jumentostun, Pers., the Guinea gram, • has been cultivated to a small extent in India and Ceylon. When well manured and kept clear of weeds, it grows luxuriantly, and admits of being cut every six weeks or two months. A small patch near Colombo, which, beginning with about three-quarters of an acre, was gradually extended to about an acre and a half, for seven or eight years supplied three or four mulch cows and from five to seven horses continually with all the grass required for their consumption, and latterly left a surplus, which was dried for bedding and hay. When first planted it frequently attains a height of even 9 feet; and a stalk taken promiscu ously from a small patch planted in Combaconum measured 10 feet 4- inches in length ; but when cut two or three times it grows thicker, and not so high. It is excellent feeding for horses and cattle, and is generally preferred by them to the ordinary country grass, though horses which are hard worked seem to prefer the dry grass roots of the Cynodon dactylon supplied by the grass-cutters. It should not be given to cattle fresh, but the supply for one day should be cut the day previous, and it should not he cut too close to the ground, but the stalk ought to be left 7 to 9 inches high. It is a good plan to move the ground between the roots every time the grass is cut, and the ground should be heavily manured after every three or four cuttings. It is very hardy, and may be easily propagated. It requires abundant moisture, but will not live in a soil which is at all marshy. It answers best planted in small tufts 1 foot 9 inches to 2 feet apart, which rapidly spread into stools from 6 inches to 1 foot in diameter.: Panicum miliaceum, common millet.