602 THE farmers' handbook. 



commencing to fill out. The ends must be tied loosely round the stalk so as 

 not to interfere with the free circulation of the sap. After harvesting, the 

 heads are thoroughly dried, threshed, cleaned, and kept in a place secure 

 from weevils and damp. 



Where the conditions for saving seed are not suitable, it is best to pur- 

 chase from reliable seedsmen. There are several . varieties on the market, 

 but so far White Italian has given the best results in this .State. 



By-products. 



The object of the giower should be to produce brush of the best quality ; 

 consequently all other uses of the plant must give way to this. In former 

 years millet was allowed to develop a fair proportion of seed, but the 

 diminished value of the brush was not compensated for by the value of the 

 seed obtained. The finest green brush is usually obtained while the seed is in 

 an immature condition, but in the production of good golden-coloured millet, 

 a fair proportion of the grain is more or less developed. Growers who insist 

 upon ripening their seed will secure brush of an inferior quality, which 

 brings a low price upon the market, and if exported injures the trade. 



The Seed as Stock Feed. 



From time to time spasmodic attempts have been made to utilise broom 

 millet seed as a grain food for stock, but beyond a little use being found for 

 it on farms no serious attempt has been made to place it on the market as a 

 feed grain until the high prices that have ruled in recent years for maize, 

 wheat, and other grains, have drawn attention to it as a neglected asset. 

 There is no doubt that broom millet seed has a high value, but its most 

 serious drawback is the uncertainty of its safe storage under ordinary con- 

 ditions. It does not seem as if, owing to the conditions necessary for dealing 

 with the broom millet crop, any practical method can be evolved which will 

 avoid a high moisture content in the seed when first stored. Some treatment 

 must therefore be given to ensure the quick drying of the stored seed. 



Where stock are kept the value of broom millet seed is, in most cases, 

 greater on the farm where it is grown than when marketed. On account of 

 the small size of the grain and its hardness, it is advisable to grind or crush 

 it before feeding, except for sheep or poultry. 



For farm horses, many farmers on the coast have found it an excellent 

 substitute for maize, being nutritious and palatable when ground, but there 

 should be no hint of damage by heating, or trouble will be experienced. 

 With lucerne hay, which makes up for its deficiency in protein, the ground 

 seed can also be fed to cattle. 



For pigs the grain is improved by soaking — especially with skim milk, 

 which helps to balance it as a ration, particularly for young stock. 



For sheep it will not require crushing, but should be fed in a trough, as 

 the grain is too small to be picked up effectively from the ground like maize. 



For poultry it can be substituted in part for wheat or maize, and can be 

 fed whole. This is the use it is most largely put to on the average farm 

 where it is produced. -Mr. Hadlington, Poultry Expert, suggests that a good 



