34 



Agriculturist that many persons in his locality state if they were restricted 

 to one grass, tall meadow oat grass would be the one selected. 



Mr. Jared G. Smith, Assistant Agrostologist of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, says it is one of the best drought-resistant 

 cultivated grasses, but he does not recommend that it be sown alone un- 

 less it is grown for seed only. "The forage," he says, "is bitter and is 

 not readily eaten by cattle except where it occurs in small quantities 

 mixed with other grasses. However, the hay is of fine quality and is 

 relished by stock." 



It grows rapidly and comes into blossom early. The best time for 

 cutting it is during its period of inflorescence. It likes heat and will 

 grow with more vigor on southern than on northern slopes. An excess 

 of moisture soon destroys it. Well drained lands should therefore be 

 selected for its cultivation. The seed weighs ten pounds to the bushel. 



Mr. Sinclair says it is subject to rust in England which does not 

 appear on the blades however, until after its flowering season. 



The directions for preparing the soil and the sowing of timothy will 

 apply to the seeding of this grass. 



ITALIAN, GERMAN OR GOLDEN MILLET (Setaria Italica] (Grown 

 for Hay and Soiling. ) 



This is an annual and is extensively cultivated in parts of Tennessee 

 for hay. It differs from German millet only in having a larger head but 

 less dense. It is considered superior to the common millet and indeed to 

 all other kinds for soiling purposes but not for hay. It grows to the 

 height of from three to five feet on good soils. 



SOILS Italian millet, like 

 all the millet family, requires a 

 strong, rich, deep soil, suffi- 

 ciently clayey to retain a 

 large amount of moisture; at 

 the same time the land must 

 be thoroughly drained. It 

 should receive a good coat of 

 stable manure and be well 

 broken in the winter and 

 pjowed again in the spring 

 and frequently harrowed, 

 logged or rolled until the 

 earth is fine and lightly com- 

 pacted. All rank growth of 

 vegetable matter turned under 

 before sowing is decidedly in- 

 jurious. Such vegetable mat- 

 ter makes the land dry and 

 thirsty and too porous. On 

 land so prepared failures will 

 result in four cases out of 

 five. 



A clayey soil in a moist situation, enriched by the application of well 

 rotted stable manure, kept in good tilth, that has been deeply and well 



Italian Millet Setaria Italica. 



2. Inflorescence. 3. Upper leaf. 4. Spikelet, 



with two bristles. 5. Spikelet L aid open. 



