THE FORAGE AND FIBER CROPS IN AMERICA 



121. Barnyard Millet (Panicum crus-galli L.) is the common 

 annual barnyard weed usually called Barnyard grass. As a 

 weed it is widely distributed throughout the United States, and, 



in fact, all the 

 warmer parts of 

 the world. In 

 some sections of 

 *" Mississippi and 

 Florida it makes 

 a good part of the 

 volunteer growth 

 'which is used for hay. 1 It varies 

 widely in size, form, color, and 

 time of maturity. While usually 

 more or less prostrate, some 

 forms grow quite erect. 



A large erect form of this 

 grass, native of southwestern 

 United States, where it is 

 known to the Mohave Indians 

 as "ankee," grew seven feet in 

 height on the experiment 

 ground of the Department of 

 Agriculture at Washington and 

 made a luxuriant growth at other stations. The Massachusetts 

 Station has imported and recommends a Japanese variety of 

 this species. It is a coarse-growing form with a heavy leafage 

 and compact beardless heads. It matures a crop in about ten 

 weeks, a yield at the rate of 90 bushels of seed and seven tons 

 of straw per acre being reported. 2 



Barnyard millet does best on moist, rich lowlands, and does 

 not endure drought well. A bushel of seed weighs 35 pounds. 



Broom corn millet (after Crozier) 

 See 120, page 115 



1 U. S. Dept. Agr., Farmers' Bui. No. 102, p. 9. 

 2 Michigan Sta. Bui. No. 117 (1894), p. 46. 



