99 



six and one-half Ions per acre. The seed was planted Ma^- 13th; 

 the crop was cut and stooked Sept. 14th; drawn to barn, Oct. 3d, 

 and threshed Oct. 9th. 



Millet, '■'■ Panicum miliaceum." The seed was imported from 

 northern Japan, where this grain is somewhat nsed as human food. 

 It was planted in rows eigliteen inches apart, the area sown amounting 

 to .0147 acre. The yield was 184 pounds of straw and 43 quarts of 

 seed, weighing 53 pounds, or at the rate of 13,334 pounds of straw 

 and 91.4 bushels of seed weighing 39.5 pounds per bushel. Tliis 

 yield of seed is sure!}' a remarkable one, especially since a consider- 

 able amount was lost through the ravages of birds (which prefer it 

 to any other millet) as well as by rattling out, for, unlike common 

 millet, this threshes very easily. The seed is smaller and, as will be 

 noted, lighter than that of our other'millets ; but if the yield shall 

 prove as a rule as heavy as this year, this millet may prove a useful 

 grain crop. Considerable difficulty would, however, be found in 

 protecting the crop from birds. It is thought that this will prove a 

 valuable crop for green fodder or for the silo. The yield of forage 

 is very large, the very dry straw weighing at the rate of about six and 

 three-quarters tons per acre. 



The seed of all our millets constitutes an excellent grain for hens. 

 Scattered in the straw it is provocative of a yast amount of that 

 industrious scratching so essential to keep " biddy " in health and 

 fine laying condition in winter. 



Hemp. Small areas of two varieties of seed from Japan were cul- 

 tivated. Both ripened seed, and their cultivation here would undoubt- 

 edly prove a possibility, It is gravely doubted whether it would pay ; 

 but steps to test that point will be taken the coming season. 



Flax. At the request of the United States Department of Agri- 

 culture, au experiment in flax culture was undertaken during the past 

 season. The seed was of three varieties, Belgian Riga, White Blos- 

 somed Dutch, and Pure Riga ; and was furnished by the Department. 

 Three-fourths of an acre of our best land was devoted to the crop, 

 one-half bushel of seed of each variety being sown broadcast on 

 April 29th. 



The soil is a warm, well drained loam, and it had been cultivated 

 in hoed crops for two years with great care, and it was believed would 

 be as free from weeds as any land on the farm. The result did not 



