1 Wi Abel nal Ace ANd Ae aie SL AY Pee a Te Cal A te le July oS four Ve A OE MT ie bee Mk a 
AS ARENT TIEN NE OCHASIROI TY TEC OITA REE NTE A a 
PP Tey Oe op [ih v 
162 REPORT OF THE First ASSISTANT OF THE 
SonGHUM. 
Twenty-nine varieties of sorghum seed and two varieties of — 
millet were planted this year. Ten of the sorghums were from 
seed selected in 1889 from the best varieties and canes. Most of — 
the other seeds were received from the Agri-Horticultural — 
Society of Burmah, some from the Botanic Garden, Singapore, — 
some from the Botanic Garden, Strait’s Settlements and three 
from Poona. ( 
None of the new varieties gave sufficient promise to warrant a 
another trial; the new variety of millet grass from Burmah, grow- 
ing about four feet tall, may be of value for forage and will be 
tried again. 
Another millet from Japan (No. 71 of 1889 report) was grown 
this season on two one-twentieth-acre plats, the seed being 
planted May thirtieth and the crop cut September thirtieth. The — 
total yield of green fodder was at the rate of 6.2 tons per acre, 
and 3.6 tons the yield for air dry. It was impossible to estimate 
the amount of seed produced on account of the ravages of English 
sparrows, which also destroy the immature sorghum seeds and 
the wheat, but the portion secured was at the rate of a little over ~ 
600 pounds dry seed per acre. The entire plant, as cut, was 
readily eaten by cattle and swine, but no analysis has yet been 
made of the forage. 
The composition of the seed of this millet indicates that it may 
be a valuable food, especially for poultry, the size of the seeds 
being especially favorable for this use. An average sample, 
unusually dry, showed : 
Percent. 
PNra bom Milas G8 dia uiatp ait Grass hulled ape MRR cata ve nae wage Ae 6.08 
0A RODS Dae a Oe eM Ce ED IRC AUTO GA RSA EON iD So 3.55 29 
PASTS TIMATN OTS 50's saa & Se ee Ree OS at RAN Ge ea a ea 14.56 
GPUS HDT. oe eee as i wee a aoale aman aiel ta eevee Relia xt a pede eet tea 4.70 
INHEPOO OXETACE icici dm eels Ge tatla ee eetele eran aye Sree RLS Aes 66.77 
The more important observations made on the growth of the — 
sorghums are condensed in the following table. As arule, these — 
varieties mature much earlier than the dates here given, for the © 
soil here seems unfavorable to early maturity; varieties which 
have been grown successfully in more favorable localities of — 
Central New York failing repeatedly to mature at this Station. 
