MILLETS. 299 



Millets are erect summer-growing annuals, thriving in 

 parts of high summer temperatures, are quicker maturing than 

 the sorghums, and probably more drought-evading. Generally 

 speaking, they do well in all parts where sorghums are culti- 

 vated. They are extremely sensitive to frost, and for that 

 reason should be sown late. 



Cultural Methods. — The preparation of the soil need 

 not be so thorough as that required for crops like lucerne or 

 wheat. The ground should be in fine tilth and fairly firm. 

 The Foxtail Millets are usually broadcasted, and can be seeded 

 with a grain drill to advantage. About 15 pounds of seed are 

 required per acre. The seed weighs 50 to 55 pounds per 

 bushel. Sowing should take place from November to January. 

 Hay crops can be cut from 7 to 12 weeks after seeding, accord- 

 ing to the variety and the time of year when sown. On most 

 farms in the Union millets are usually sown after maize 

 planting is completed. 



Harvesting. — (1) Hay. — When cut for hay the plant 

 should just have flowered. It is cut with the ordinary mower. 

 Millet hay is not of very high quality, and if cut late, when 

 nearly mature, causes disorders in horses — " Millet Fever " — 

 a disease of horses found when millet hay forms the sole diet. 

 If mixed with other food little trouble is experienced. Horses 

 seem to be the only animals affected. 



Little difficulty is experienced in making hay from this 

 crop. 



(2) Seed. — The crop is cut with a reaper and binder or by 

 sickle, is allowed to stand in shocks, and then threshed with 

 the ordinary small-grain threshing machine. It is heavy- 

 yielding, 6 to 10 bags being a good yield per acre. 



Of the remaining millets in common cultivation, Japanese 

 Barnyard {E. jrumentacea) , Pearl Millet (Pennisetum 

 glaucum) and Japanese Broom-Corn Millet (Panicum 

 miliaceum) are the most important in South Africa. 



Japanese Barnyard. — This is a coarse-growing millet, 

 suited to moist localities, and does well even on very acid soils, 

 e.g., in East Griqualand. It is prolific and gives good growth 

 on very poor soils. It has probably originated from E. crus- 

 galli, a weed very common in America and Canada. It should 

 be sown in November to January at the rate of 25 pounds per 

 acre. 



Japanese Broom-Corn or Proso. — This is also a native of 

 Asia, and of very ancient civilisation — dating back to the Stone 



