1896.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 33 



ing to the richness of the land and the season of sowing, 

 is enough. Less seed the richer the land and the earlier 

 the season should be the rule. This millet will not endure 

 drought well, except it be sown early in retentive soil. 

 From early corn-planting time to about July 1 will usually 

 be the limits of season for profitable sowing. 



Panicum miliaceum. 



This species, some other varieties of which are known as 

 " panicle," "broom-corn" and "French" millets, I shall 

 speak of hereafter as " Japanese panicle" millet. It has 

 been grown upon a small scale for seed the past year. The 

 area was a little less than a quarter of an acre. It received 

 at the rate per acre : nitrate of soda, 175 pounds ; dissolved 

 bone-black, 320 pounds; and muriate of potash, 175 pounds, 

 — all mixed, sown broadcast and harrowed in. The seed 

 was thinly sown in drills, fifteen inches apart, and cultivated 

 and kept free from weeds. The yield was at the rate of: 

 straw, 5,856 pounds; seed, 34.1 bushels per acre. This 

 variety is liked for fodder by some who have tried it ; but I 

 regard it as inferior to the barn-yard millet for that purpose. 

 The seed is valuable for poultry and birds. 



Panicum italkum. 



The Japanese variety of this species has been grown for 

 seed ; soil, manure and fertilizers, as well as manner of 

 planting and care, the same as for "barn-yard" millet. It 

 yields at the rate per acre : straw, 3,836 pounds; seed, 66.4 

 bushels. This variety is of value for fodder, but I prefer the 

 ' ' barn-yard " variety. 



Variety Tests with Millets. 



Twenty-seven varieties of millet have been grown upon 

 a small scale, for purposes of comparison. With three ex- 

 ceptions four rows, each thirty feet long, were planted. Of 

 these, owing to our inability to procure enough seed, we had 

 but one or two rows. Careful observations have been put 

 on record, but only for preliminary purposes, as the scale 

 of work was small. The gross yield varied from 11 to 49 



