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MISSOURI MILLET. 103 



CHAPTER^IX. 





 MILLET BARNYARD GRASS, BENGAL GRASS, GAMA 



GRASS, EGYPTIAN GRASS, MEADOW OAT GRASS. 



Millet (Panicum Miliaceum). 



Spikelets panicled or racemed, sometimes spikes; glumes two, the 

 lower one short minute or wanting ; lower flower neutral, rarely awned, 

 upper perfect ; stamens three ; stigmas usually purple. 



This description covers the general characteristics of the 

 millet family, though each one differs in some respects from 

 the- other. 



The common millet has flowers in large, open > nodding 

 panicles, leaves lance-shaped, broad stem one to three feet 

 high ; a native of Turkey and an annual. German Millet 

 and Tennessee Millet have a thick, nodding spike, com- 

 pound, six to nine inches long, purplish, afterwards yellow- 

 ish, bristles two and three in a cluster. Introduced from 

 Europe. 



MISSOURI MILLET (Panicum Italica). Same description . SM 



others. 



These grasses have been cultivated extensively in the 

 State for many years. Besides the species mentioned, there 

 are many others, but they are only varieties of one plant. 

 In Europe and in the Indian Islands, the seeds are used 

 extensively as food for man, the seeds abounding in nitro- 

 genous principles. Great quantities of seed have been 

 raised in the State for exportation, and the yield per aere ia 

 very large when properly cultivated. The low prices it has 

 y elded for the last two years, has almost put a stop to its 

 cultivation. The reason, no doubt, of the want of demand 

 is its inferior character as a cattle food. It at one time, en- 

 joyed a wide-spread fame, and it was only the starving 



