compound is stated to consist in mixing certain proportions of siliceous and argillaceous earths (that can only be ascertained by practice), with about one-seventh part of calcareous earth. These are exposed to a fire, heated to the degree usually required in calcining lime, for the space of twenty-four hours, or such farther period as experience alone can determine; after which the composition may be formed into durable stones, that are said to afford proper substitutes for those compounded by Nature.
MILLET, or Milium, L. a genus of plants, consisting of five species; of which the following are the principal; namely:
1. The panicum, or Common Millet: which is a native of India, and seldom cultivated in Britain, except in gardens, for the sake of its small round seed, that affords grateful food to poultry. It may, however, be easily propagated, by sowing it in the beginning of April, upon a warm dry soil, but not too thick; because the plants, when growing, expand, and require much room. Hence they should be kept clean from weeds, at their first shooting up. In August, the seed attains to maturity; but, if exposed to the depredations of birds, they will devour it as soon as it begins to ripen.—There is a variety of this species, called the African Millet, the culture of which has been recommended by M. Tschiffeli, of Switzerland. It flourishes in every soil, requires neither rich manures, nor laborious tillage; and it is not devoured by birds, nor does it exhaust the soil, though affording very abundant crops.—Another variety of this species is the panicum germanicum, cultivated in Germany and the south of Europe; and which, according to M. Buse, of Erfurt, thrives in a good clayey soil, where it sometimes produces more than thousand-fold returns.
2. The effusum, Millet-grass, or Soft Millet; which is a native of Britain, grows from five to six feet in height, in moist shady woods; and flowers in the months of May and June.—This plant is very beautiful; and, though it has no useful property to recommend it to the industrious farmer, yet it deserves to be cultivated in shady gardens, on account of its fragrant odour.—Its seeds are eaten with great avidity by linnets.
Besides its utility for feeding poultry, millet is highly esteemed for making puddings, and by many preferred to rice. As an article of food, however, it is by no means equal either to blanched oats, or barley, and ought not to be eaten by persons whose organs of digestion are weak, or impaired.
MINERAL KINGDOM, an expression comprising all bodies that are dug out of subterraneous places, or mines, being totally inanimate, and devoid of the power of vegetation.
From the preceding definition, it is obvious that minerals are inorganic substances which, like organized bodies, have a certain origin, progressively increase, and are subject to dissolution, or a decomposition of parts. But they arise merely by an accumulation of homogeneal, or similar particles from without, namely, either by substances combining in consequence of their attractive power, which process of Nature is called cohesion; or by the solid particles being separated from the fluid ones, when the former attract each other, according to
