Grasses and Sorghums 



173 



Millets. Several annual grasses are used for forage, the 



chief ones being the millets. The term millet includes a number 



of species. The ones most commonly grown in America are 



the foxtail millets, the broom-corn millets, and 



the barnyard millets. 



The foxtail millets resemble the foxtail weed. 



The three important varieties are common 



millet, German millet, and Hungarian millet. 



Common millet is the smallest and matures 



earliest. It is adapted to northern sections. 



Under favorable conditions it will yield two 



to two and one-half tons of hay to the acre. 



German millet is the largest variety and re- 

 quires a somewhat longer season for develop- 

 ment than either of the 

 others. It is popular in 

 the Central States and 

 the South where it gives 

 larger yields, but coarser 

 hay than either of the 

 other two foxtail millets. 

 Hungarian millet is intermediate in size 

 between the other two varieties and re- 

 quires a longer season than common 

 millet. It is popular in the Eastern 

 States. Its yields are somewhat heavier 

 than common millet, but the hay is 

 likely to be of a poorer quality. 



The broom-corn millets have the head 

 spreading in a panicle somewhat like the 

 head of broom-corn. (See Fig. 72.) They 

 mature earlier than the foxtail millets 



and are adapted for culture chiefly in the North Central States. 

 The barnyard millets are varieties of the common weed, 



barnyard grass. A cultivated species known as Japanese 



FIG. 70. Brome- 

 grass. 



FIG. 71. Bermuda-grass. 



