Page 60 - Arabian Studies (I)

46 Arabian Studies I
comes millet resembling this variety, with, perhaps, three grains in
one envelope. i
A variety of it called Ja'aidT, I A somewhere between the Shuraihl
and Safra’ (Yellow) (varieties) is sown in the Sahul and ‘Annah
districts. The time for sowing it is the first to the middle of Aiyar
(14-28 May); I I s it is harvested after four months, the last of it five
months from the day it was sown. Its grain is extremely hard, with a
fatness to it not found in any other varieties of the Baida’ (White)
sort.
Another variety of it called Gharibah1 1 6 closely resembles Baida’
(White) in colour and grain, but it is not of the same excellent
quality. The places where it is sown are the mountains and valleys of :
the hot districts, and the time for sowing it the first of HazTran
(14 June—), it being harvested after four months or less — it is the
first crop of millet to be harvested in the mountains.
There is a Hamra’ (Red) variety of it sown in the cool mountains
at mid Adhar (28 March) and harvested after nine months. l I 7
Belonging to the Hamra’ (Red) type is a variety called Bad‘ah 1 I 8
with a sharpness to its taste, sown in valleys (irrigated) by running
streams and in cool places with much dew. It (too) is sown on the
first of NTsan/Naisan (14 April) and harvested after nine months. 1 1 9
Another variety of millet is called Sawmi. 1 2 0 The time for sowing
it is at the rising of the Sabi‘ (seventh star) of Banat Na‘sh (Ursa
[Major]) 2 1 up to half a month after its rising, it being harvested
after four months. Then it has a second growth which is harvested,
then a third which is harvested, no crop of the mountains but this
variety being harvested thrice. Its grain is reddish in colour, and it is
coarse and dry, scarcely attractive to eat. If (grown) repeatedly on
the (same) ground it exhausts it.
All the varieties of millet in the mountains — during the days of
winter (shita’) the ground is ploughed thrice for them and manured.
The way it is sown is after it (the ground) has dried and is not
runny,78 but middling between wetness and dryness — the best of
conditions for sowing. The ground is ploughed in straight even
furrows, each furrow alongside the next, not running over 1 2 2 on to
it (?). The grain is sprinkled between the ends of the fingers into the
bottom of the furrow, from two to three grains being dropped (at a
time) according to the goodness or poorness of the ground.
Following the track of the oxen and plough one takes a pace,
dropping (the seed) as it was dropped first. Dropping the seed in the
plough track is so that the grain will be covered with soil — one takes
i a pace also and drops the grain. So one’s way goes on until one
finishes (sowing) the ground. Some folk drop the seed-grain and
tread it with the foot, some cast it without treading it, according to

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