Sinnmer Fodder.s for tin' North. 3o& 



The bulrusli millets are repi-esented by the Egyptian or Pearl millets^. 

 the close-panicled millets by the Barnyard millet, and the spreading 

 panicled or broom corn millets by the White French millet. 



The milk^s are very useful as catch crops, especially the Hun- 

 garian, although this season, owing to the seed of the latter being of 

 low germinable quality, the results were not nearly as good as those 

 from the White French millet, which produced an excellent crop for 

 this district, and giving a return at the rate of three tons per acre, 

 whilst the Ked French millet gave just about one-fifth the yield. 

 Several cuttings are obtained in more favoured climates, but rarely 

 more than two are obtained liere. The second is really only tit to- 

 graze off. 



Millets, like sorghum and maize, thrive best in a nice free loamy 

 soil with a fair amount of organit; matter present. If the soil be warm 

 and not too dry, millets will give satisfactory retui-ns, even, though the 

 soil be not naturally free, yet it must be well worked. The roots when 

 the plants are pulled up will be found mostly near the surface, and 

 this should be well supplied with plant food. 



As Hungarian and French millets grow cjuickly, successioual 

 sowings may be made from the time the ground is warm until the 

 beginning of February, if the rains be propitious. 



The seed bed should be well worked, and as the seed is small it 

 should not be sown deeper than 1 ^ inches for the larger seeds, and les» 

 for the smaller ones. It takes from 6 to 10 lbs. of the seed to sow an 

 acre in the dry districts, and if the seed could be distributed evenly, 

 even less would suffice. If the crop is to lie harvested care must be 

 taken not to wait too long. \V'hen the seed panicles are well formed 

 and the seed is just about ripe it should be cut, or just before this 

 period. It makes useful hay, and is better given to stock with a little 

 oaten or wheaten hay, as it is somewhat laxative when green, and acts 

 on the kidneys also, especially when cut in a riper stage. 



The Egyptian and Pearl millet is a splendid fodder in districts 

 where the soils and climate permit of its successful growth. It has 

 only been a success here -once in ten years, owing to the limited 

 summer rainfall. The seed is small, but an enoruums plant will 

 spring from one seed when the surroundings are congenial. This 

 fodder plant may be grazed, or cut for silage, and is well liked by 

 stock, more so perhaps than most of the others. It should yield very 

 heavy crops on the rich river Hats, where I would not be surprised to 

 hear of yields of over 50 tons to the acre, as several cuttings can be 

 made, provided the heat and moisture be present. The young plants 

 stool along the ground, and then shoot up to eight or ten feet high. 



The Barnyard millet has not been grown much in Victoria. 

 There are a number of varieties of it, most of which are coarse when 

 compared with Hungarian millet. They did not succeed as well as the 

 White French during the early part of autumn but developed con- 

 siderably towards the end. The Japanese varieties are somewhat coarse, 

 and bear much seed. The broom corn millets o-rowiny- this season 



