THE MILLETS 12f 
are also objectionable. If the hay is cut over-ripe 
these bristles are apt to injure the mouths of stock. 
Cases have also been reported in which the bristles 
have formed hair balls in cows’ stomachs, causing in- 
flammation and resulting fatally. 
We have already called attention to the impossibil- 
ity, in actual practice, of cutting hay at just the right 
season ; if delay in harvesting results in the develop- 
ment of decidedly objectionable characters in a hay 
plant, such characters are certain to limit the useful- 
ness of the crop, for it will occasionally be necessary 
to cut over-ripe hay. The variation in coarseness, due 
to difference in thickness of the stand, is also a matter 
of some importance. Timothy, even when the stand 
is thin, does not grow much coarser stems than when 
the stand is normal. Millet, on the other hand, grows 
very large, coarse stems when for any reason a poor 
stand is secured. Even when plenty of seed is used 
the stand may be poor because of unfavorable soil con- 
ditions at seeding-time. This lack of uniformity in 
the character of growth of millet prejudices many 
against it. 
The fact that millet is an annual may be either an 
advantage or a disadvantage, according to circum- 
stances. It is probably true that millet would occupy 
a much more important place in our agriculture if it 
were perennial. The American farmer likes a grass 
that can be kept in a meadow for several years with no 
attention except to cut it for hay. At the same time, 
a productive, short-season annual is exceedingly use- 
ful for sowing when other crops fail; it is for this lat- 
ter purpose that millet is most largely used. In some 
