222 



FIELD CROP PRODUCTION 



rather drought resistant, growing best on fertile soils, 

 although a fair yield may be expected on relatively poor 

 soils. There are three important varieties of fox-tail 



millets, namely, common, 

 German, and Hungarian. 



217. Common millet. — 

 This variety was the first 

 to come into general use in 

 this country and is still 

 probably the one most com- 

 monly grown. Several slen- 

 der stems, which grow from 

 2 to 4 feet in height, are pro- 

 duced by each plant. The 

 leaves are narrow and dark 

 green in color, the spike 

 grows almost erect, is com- 

 pact with numerous bristly 

 hairs, and the seeds are 

 somewhat larger than those 

 of Hungarian or German 

 millets and are yellow in 

 color. Common millet is the 

 earliest of the three varie- 

 ties, and is adapted to the 

 Northern States, although it 

 will do well elsewhere. It is 

 better adapted to medium 

 fertile soils than the German 

 millet, although larger jdelds are obtained under more 

 favorable conditions. It is almost always grown for hay 

 and under favorable conditions will yield from 2 to 2^ tons 

 per acre. 



Fig. 



77. — Common and Siberian 

 millet. 



