54 



FOXTAIL MILLETS (Chaetocliloa italica and var. g-ermanica) . ' 



(Plate VII, fig. 2.) 



The foxtail millets are by far the most important group of millets 

 grown in this country. They have a compact, bristl3% foxtail-like head 

 and are said to have evolutionized from the common foxtail grasses of 

 the fields and waste places. To this group belong the common, Ger- 

 man, and Hunsfarian millets with their inanv-named forms and varieties. 



'■'The common millet is the most widely cultivated of the foxtail 

 millets in this country at the present time. It is the hardiest, most 

 drought-resistant, and gives better returns on poor soils than the other 

 commonly grown varieties. Although long known in Europe, it seems 

 to have reached its perfection in this country, and is now being sold in 

 Europe under such names as American millet and California millet." 



''The German millet makes a heavy yield of forage under favorable 

 conditions, but does not stand drought as well as the common and 

 Hungarian millets. The hay is coarser and less highly valued than 

 that from the other millets, but when the forage can be fed in the 

 green state this will be found to be an excellent variety to grow on 

 account of the heavy yield. Some of the so-called Japanese millets 

 now on the market belong to the German millet type." 



"The Hungarian millet or grass has been in cultivation in the United 

 States since 1830, and probably much earlier. It first came into gen- 

 eral cultivation in the Middle West. In Iowa it won favor at once, 

 and as early as 1856 was a most valuable forage crop, particularly on 

 recently broken land. At the present time it is more widely grown in 

 the North than in the South. By most farmers it is placed next to the 

 common millet as a hay crop, the quality being regarded as better than 

 German millet. 



"Hungarian millet does not resist drought as well as common millet, 

 but with favorable conditions of soil and moisture it will usually give 

 a somewhat heavier yield. One reason why Hungarian has not found 

 more favor with farmers generally is that it shows a greater tendency 

 than other conmion varieties to persist in the soil when allowed to 

 mature seed before harvesting. In portions of the Missouri Valley 

 region, as in eastern Nebraska and Iowa, this millet received a great 

 deal of attention from farmers during the seventies, and fine crops of 

 hay and seed were obtained, but its tendenc}^ to 'volunteer' brought 

 it into more or less disfavor, and it is now less commonl}^ grown than 

 either common millet or German millet. It seldom becomes trouble- 

 some, however, except on light, sandy soils or land recently brought 

 into cultivation. On moist, heavy soils or in regions where there is a 

 great deal of wet weather during the fall and winter months it is not 

 likel}^ to make much volunteer growth." 



'For full discussion on "Millets," see Farmers' Bulletin Xo. 101, United States 

 D(!partment of Agriculture. 



