CHAPTER IX 



ANNUAL FORAGE GRASSES 



On account of their short life, the annual grasses are 

 not, of course, suited to permanent meadow or pasture. 

 Some of the annuals are sometimes used for temporary 

 pasture, as in the case of rye, but their chief use is for hay. 

 The hay of the coarse grasses, such as corn and sorghum, 

 is called fodder. Another important use for many of the 

 annuals is in soiling, or cutting and feeding green. 



COMMON MILLET 



The term millet is used for several different kinds of 

 grasses, but in the United States, when used without a 

 qualifying word, refers to common or foxtail millet. 

 Other kinds of millet are proso or broom-corn millet, 

 pearl millet, Chinese millet, and Japanese barnyard 

 millet, each of which is discussed under its appropriate 

 heading. Among some primitive peoples, millet is 

 grown for the grain which is used for food, but in this 

 country it is used for forage only. Being an annual, it 

 furnishes temporary meadow only. Millet is grown in 

 the eastern half of the United States, but chiefly in the 

 region from Oklahoma to Iowa. It is especially useful 

 as a summer crop following grain, thus fully utilizing the 

 land — a so-called catch crop. As the young plants are 

 tender, the seed cannot be sown early. The hay is 

 palatable and nutritious and is valuable for all kinds of 



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