114 THE FORAGE AND FIBER CROPS IN AMERICA 



Other names used for types more or less closely related to 

 the above are golden millet, Italian millet, Japanese millet, and 

 California millet. The original or wild type of the foxtail 

 millet is believed by Hackel to be the well-known foxtail weed 

 (Chaetochloa viridis (L.) Scribn.). The foxtail millets grow 

 erect like the smaller cereals, and under cultivation are from 

 two to five, usually three to four feet in height. 



These millets are hot weather plants and are exceedingly 

 drought resistant. While they thrive best on fertile soils, they 

 will grow on relatively poor soils. They are better adapted to 

 sandy than to clay loams. Under proper conditions of heat 

 and moisture full crops may be obtained in six to ten weeks. 

 They are generally considered an exhaustive crop, perhaps 

 because the rapid growth temporarily reduces the soil moisture. 

 They are good crops for subduing weeds, especially when sown 

 in hot weather, and are not infrequently used for this purpose. 

 These millets are subject to the same diseases as sorghum, but 

 are usually rather free from fungous diseases or insect 

 enemies. (C. A. 533) 



Because of slowness of germination and early growth, 

 seeding should not occur until continued warm weather is as- 

 sured. In the North Central states sowing in June and July 

 gives the best results. The number of seeds varies from 175,000 

 to 250,000 per pound. Ordinarily 48 pounds of Hungarian 

 grass seed and 50 pounds of millet seed are sold for a bushel. 

 The amount of seed sown per acre varies from one to four pecks, 

 a moist clay soil requiring a heavier seeding than a dry sandy 

 one. A common practise is to sow three pecks. At the Miphigan 

 Station, one peck per acre produced a heavier yield of hay than 

 more or less seed. On the clay soil the seed did not germinate 

 so well; otherwise the lighter seeding would probably have 

 given the best results. 



When sown broadcast for seed, not more than one peck should 

 be used. Better seed can be obtained by sowing thinly in 



