THE MILLETS 



113 



the other two varieties mentioned above, but the heads 

 are larger and more open than those of Hungarian 

 grass. Its seed is yellow, oval in outline, and is some- 

 what larger than that of Hungarian grass. It pro- 

 duces several stems from the same seed. 



Hungarian grass has the smallest and most com- 

 pact head of any of these three varieties. Its seed is 

 shaped like those of common millet, but is mixed in 

 color, part being yellow, part dark purple, and part 

 intermediate between these two colors. Like common 

 millet, it produces several stems from the same seed. 

 It is intermediate in the length of season between the 

 other two varieties, and is most popular in the Eastern 

 States, where the seasons are short and where drouth 

 is not so common as it is in the West. It makes large 

 yields on good soil in moist seasons. It was distributed 

 by the Patent Office about 1854, and immediately rose 

 into prominence, particularly in the West. It has 

 since gravitated eastward, because of its better adapta- 

 bility to the climatic conditions prevailing there. It 

 had previously been grown to some extent in this 

 countr} 7 under a different name. 



German millet is a late-maturing variety having 

 large, lax, nodding heads. Ordinarily it produces 

 only one stalk to the seed, but these stalks grow taller 

 and coarser than those of either of the other varieties. 

 It is a large yielder, and is particularly popular in 

 the Central and Southern States, where its long season 

 is no disadvantage. It may be sown as late in the 

 South as common millet in the North. It sometimes 

 matures when sowm as late as the first of July, even in 

 the Central States. It is more drouth-resistant than 



