The Millets 



635 



deleterious results. It is also reported to produce^ physiological 

 disturbances when fed continuously to lambs, but in the case of 

 cattle and sheep such effects are apparently not serious. 



These millets have a comparatively low water requirement, 

 but cannot endure long periods of drought, probably because of 

 their rather shallow root system. They are much grown in the 

 semiarid regions, and their ability to make a crop in such localities 

 seems largely due tO' their short season of growth, which often 

 allows them to escape dry spells. 



Foxtail millet is said to be " hard on the soil," and the following 

 crop, especially if it is small grain, will in most cases be less 

 productive than if grown following corn or the small grains. This 

 effect arises largely 

 from the fact that 

 millet has an inten- 

 sive root system and 

 feeds very heavily on 

 the upper eight or 

 twelve inches of soil, 

 leaving the supply of 

 available plant food 

 and moisture greatly 

 depleted in this area. 



Only the more 

 prominent varieties 

 are described in this 

 article. Several of 

 these are so closely 

 related that it is im- 

 possible to distin- 

 guish between them 

 by an examination of 

 the seed alone, but 

 when the crop is ex- 

 amined in the field 

 the differences be- 

 tween the varieties 

 are apparent. 



Fig. 640. — Single Plant of Common 

 Millet. 



