Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1880-05-14
A Crop Tor The ARA Lands.

The New York Times recently con-
tanned an account OF cereal TO which
the State Board of Agriculture OF
Kansas has recently called attention
and which, according to that authority,
will grow on the arid lands OF the
West without irrigation. The cereal
is represented as q new one, at least to
Kansas, and the idea is thrown out
that it was brought 20 that state by
Mennonite immigrants, but the Com
missioner of Agriculture, Of whom We
have made inquiries, states that this.
''pampas rice = ''ricc corn, or -'EgYp-
tian corn" as it is variously called, is
merely the grain known as "durra" or
"dhourra" corn, which, he says, is Of
Egyptian origin. but has been grown
to some extent in portions Of this
country for a good many years. OF
this dhourra corn the commissioner
secured quantity that had been grown
last year on arid land il Kansas and
has distributed about one hundred
bushels of it al seed with view to
further experiment upon its adapta
ton to various localities, and particu-
larly to the arid lands Of the West.
We clip from the article above referred
to the following account Of the grain
and its qualities:
'sThe kernels grow in tuft like that
on the top OF sorghum Each one is
something smaller and rounder than
grain of wheat, and is inclosed in
shock or independent capsule The
berry can be eaten ground into flour
or cracked like wheat, or whole like
rice, or used generally like any other
cereal. The meal resembles that Of
Indian corn, wheat, rye and oats; and
in its contents Of flesh. forming album
inois it surpasses all Indian corns, aud
ranks with wheat, rye and oats The
small percentage Of cellulose, or nearly
non-nutritious woody fibre, is very re-
markable. The stalk makes as good
fodder MS corn does, and few acres
will furnish family with fuel for q
Winters consideration OF the first
Importance in that treeless country"
But that which gives this grain It's
especial value, according to the Times,
is its power Of rnsxting drought. Of
this it gives the following example,
which, it says. is only one among
great many which are attested by the
signatures of well known farmers.
"Forty acres Of turned over sod,
which had not been wet with rain for
eight months, were planted with two
or three grains, deposited with seed
planter, something more than foot
apart. There was no rain for five
weeks after planting, yet the corn
germinated. After it was fairly start
cd the hot blasts from the Limo rs.
facade blew over it, but it grew right
along, although grass and garden truck
beside it were fairly burned up. 1t
stood the rains equally well, and final
" it yielded sixty 60.pound bushels to
the acre. 1t is, moreover worm and
grasshopper proof.'
Tho Times goes on to say that these
facts are placed beyond question by
mass Of letters printed by the Kansas
State Board of Agriculture, and that
"their significance Is Of the first i'm
portance. From New Mexico to the
British line'--we quote from the paper
named There ara tens Of thousands
OF square miles 800 600, 900 acres
according to reliable estimate which
It was thought nothing but an expon-
sivs system Of artesian wells could re-
claim to any better use than pasturage,
and now comes this African plant to
furnish food and fual to this vast conn-
Try, besides crops for export, whos-
value u may yet be impossible to ex-
press in nine figures"