470 THE farmers' handbook. 



autumn for a crop of turnips. One hundredweight each of bone-dust and 

 superphosphate was used as manure. Owing to the failure of the autumn 

 and winter rains the seed did not germinate, and it was decided to test the 

 White French millet on this land as an early summer crop. After cultivation 

 the seed was sown broadcast, 7 lb. to the acre. From the 6th September to 

 the 11th November, or sixty-five days, when the crop matured, there were 

 falls of rain making a total of 5 inches. 



The land was poor, sandy loam, and undrained. On 11th November the 

 crop ranged from 3 to 4 feet high. The well-laden seed panicles in their 

 green and succulent stage were very prolific, the broad, leafy foliage was at 

 its fullest development, and the sturdy and juicy stems contributed in no 

 small degree to build up a forage plant eminently suitable at that time of 

 the year for green forage, hay, or ensilage. 



By a series of cuts it was estimated that the crop averaged 10 tons of 

 green forage per acre, and provided about 3 tons of coarse hay. It was 

 cut with the reaper and binder, and whilst it was realised that such a crop 

 would test the stability of the machine, yet, in the absence of special 

 machinery, it was the only means of rapidly harvesting it at the most 

 nutritious stage. 



Varieties. 



The various millets are recognised by the distinctive colour acquired 

 by the ripened seed, and are grouped as white, yellow, or red. They vary 

 considerably, even under those heads, and possess peculiarities in their 

 growth and colour of foliage. The most useful varieties are Japanese, 

 Hungarian, Manchurian (white and yellow), White French, and Pearl: of 

 these Japanese ds by far the most grown. It is perhaps the quickest 

 growing of all plants cultivated on the farm, providing it finds suitable 

 weather conditions. It may be grown for hay, green fodder, or to be fed 

 off by stock — it is useful for feeding to all classes of stock and poultry. 

 Japanese is about the best stooler of all the millets. Hungarian is useful 

 as a hay variety, but is not a good stooler, and will not stand a dry weather 

 pinch like Japanese. Where grain is required the Manchurian varieties 

 will be found the most prolific; as many as 41 bushels of seed per acre 

 have been taken from this class. The yellow variety is the best for seed : the 

 ripened grain may be fed to poultry and pigeons with advantage in con- 

 junction with other grains. 



Soil. 



The millets are very hardy. They require a medium quantity of moisture, 

 grow luxuriantly on a variety of soils, and endure drought remarkably 

 well. They do best in a mellow soil, rich in humus, but they thrive on a 

 great variety of soils, and loams with a medium admixture of clay and sand 

 answer well. It has to be remembered that this plant secures its nourish- 

 ment chiefly from the surface soil, and it is good farm practice to stimulate 

 that with readily assimilable fertilisers, or rotted farmyard manure, keeping 

 in view the need for the supply of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash in 

 their most soluble forms. The fertilisers are best harrowed in, and the 

 farmyard manure applied before ploughing. 



