130 



EXPERIMENTS WITH ROOTS AND FORAGE CROPS 



at the same time. The pole used as a measure stands six feet 

 high in both cases. 



JAPANESE MILLETS 



These new plants are much like the Hungarian in general 

 appearance, except that they are much larger and coarser. The 

 seed heads are likewise larger, contain proportionately larger 

 seed, are more branched, and produce a heavier yield. Like 

 the Hungarian, they are greedy feeders, and for best results 

 demand a quick and available fertilizer. The seed should not 

 be sown before June nor later than the middle of July, the 

 quantity being at the rate of from two to three pecks per acre. 

 The millets, when used for hay, should be cut soon after the 

 heads are formed and before the seed has set; otherwise the 

 stem becomes fibrous or woody. 



In June of 1897, the three varieties of Japanese millets (Pani^' 

 cum miliaceum, P. Italicum, and P. crus-galli), together with 

 two other samples of Japanese millet, each from reliable seeds- 

 men, and a plot each of Golden Wonder and the New Siberian 

 millet, were planted. All of the varieties were under similar 

 conditions ; the soil was a clay loam and fairly fertile. On 

 September 3d, all were measured, harvested, weighed, and pho- 

 tographed. The accompanying table will show the comparative 

 yield and measurements, and in Fig. 4 a single specimen of 

 each of the first five varieties is represented by its respective 

 number. 



No. 



Variety (Millet). 



Measurement. 



Average weight 

 per acre. 



1 



2 

 3 



4 

 5 

 6 



7 



Panicum Milleacum — 



Panicum Italicum 



Panicum crus-galli 



Golden Wonder 



New Siberian 



Japanese (Breck) 



Japanese (Henderson) 



41/2 to 5 ft. 



5 ft. 



5 to 6 ft. 



4 to 41/2 ft. 



4 ft. 

 4 to 41/2 ft. 

 41/2 to 5 ft. 



10 tons, 1,054 lbs. 



7 tons, 520 lbs. 

 16 tons, 912 lbs. 



8 tons, 1,908 lbs. 

 5 tons, 406 lbs. 



10 tons, 1,296 lbs. 

 13 tons, 1,104 Ibsy 



