226 FIELD CROP PRODUCTION 



that made from the fox-tail millets. The plant grows 

 rather tall and has a more or less open head, free from 

 bristles. It does not withstand drought well, requires a 

 fertile moist soil, and is better adapted for use in the silo 

 or as a soiling crop than for making hay. 



222. Pearl millet, Pennisetum spicatum. While classed 

 as a millet, this plant more closely resembles sorghum 

 or corn than do the millets. It grows from 5 to 12 feet 

 in height, the spike is from 6 to 15 inches long, very 

 compact and almost cylindrical, resembling the " cat-tail" 

 flag, which grows wild in swampy places (in fact, it is 

 sometimes called cat-tail millet), and the leaves closely 

 resemble those of sorghum. Pearl millet requires a rich, 

 moist soil, and a long, hot growing season for its best 

 growth. Under these conditions it suckers abundantly 

 and produces a large yield of forage, which may be cut 

 several times during the season. Pearl millet is impor- 

 tant only in the South. 



223. Uses of millets. Millets have been grown for 

 centuries in India, China, and Japan, where they are used 

 as human food. Indeed, it is said that millet enters into 

 the dietary of over one-third of the inhabitants of the 

 globe. When used for food, it is usually boiled or parched, 

 and is eaten alone or with milk and sugar. It is considered 

 a nutritious and digestible food. In the United States, 

 millet is used only as a feed for domestic animals. It is 

 most commonly used as hay, and compares favorably in 

 digestibility and nutritive value with timothy. It may be 

 fed to cattle, sheep, and horses, usually in combination 

 with other forage, since, if fed alone, it sometimes pro- 

 duces injurious effects on the kidneys of the animals. 

 It is sometimes used as a soiling crop, especially in sec- 

 tions where the silo has not come into general use. Under 



