MILLET. 197 



porated with the surface soil. But to get much 

 benefit from manures applied just previous to 

 the sowing of the crop, an ample supply of mois- 

 ture is needed. 



Sowing. Since millet will not grow vigorously 

 while the weather is cool, nothing can be gained by 

 sowing it before the arrival of settled warm weather. 

 It should not be sown sooner than the usual season 

 for planting corn. But it may be sown considerably 

 later than that season when the conditions as to 

 moisture are favorable. Since some varieties of 

 millet will mature in two months or a little more 

 than that from the date of putting in the seed, the 

 sowing of millets may be continued until within 

 sixty to seventy-five days of the usual season for 

 early frosts. Millet in all its varieties is easily 

 injured by frost. When grown for pasture, even a 

 shorter period would suffice in which to grow it, 

 since it would of necessity be eaten down before the 

 plants had reached so advanced a stage of growth. 

 If sown sooner than the season mentioned, the plants 

 will start feebly, insomuch that no after conditions, 

 however favorable they may be, can enable them to 

 regain what they have lost in stamina. This has 

 been demonstrated again and again by the author 

 while growing millets. 



The mode of sowing will vary with circum- 

 stances. More commonly the seed is now sown 

 broadcast, but in some instances it is sown with a 

 grain drill, all the tubes being in use. The latter 

 method buries the seed more uniformly, and there- 

 fore insures a more uniform germination when 

 moisture is deficient in the surface soil. Some kinds 

 of grain drills cannot be made to sow millet suffi- 



