694 
Jfifli) Crops, 
NOTES FROM RURAL GROUNDS 
" EGYPTIAN ” OR “ PEARL •' MILLET. 
See 1st pag-o Illustration, alBO opposite pajfe for section 
of seed spike. 
We have already Btatod that a large quantity 
of this eeed was planted at the farm last spring. 
But it was sown too early and rotted in the 
ground. Later a few rows were planted here. 
Though the Beed germinated readily, and the 
plants grew to the hight of a few inches—there 
they romaiued so long that while wo were in 
doubt whether they would make any further 
growth or not, it seomod evident that “ Pearl' 
Millet was a failure, at least with u*. 
The advent of steady hot weather rapidly 
changed this state of things, as our first-page 
illustration will show. This plant grew from a 
single seed, and is as true to life as our artist 
could make it. Many of the stems were nearly 
the same hight, the highest being 10 foot, 1 
inch. Three feet from the ground, tbo circum¬ 
ference of the plant was 13 feet, 9 inches. The 
weight of the highest stalk, leaves and flower 
spikes was one pound, two ounces. There were, 
in all, small and large, 62 etalks, the weight of 
which was 42)* lbs- 
Several plants were cut down August lHt. The 
average weight of the subsequent growth was 
nine pounds per plant. Our first frost, which 
was very light, occurred while the seed was in 
the milk. A few seeds upon a few spikes have 
ripened. As the season has been unusually fa¬ 
vorable for the ripening of the seeds, it may be 
concluded that seeds will never mature in this 
climate. This, however, is of little moment, 
since an abundant supply could be obtained 
from the South. 
While, on the one hand, we are naturally de¬ 
sirous not to convoy impressions which may lead 
our readers to waste time and labor upon worth¬ 
less plants—on the other, we arc naturally in 
haste to Introduce to them any “ novelty” that, 
having tried ourselves, we think may be advan¬ 
tageously cultivated. We are arranging to make 
seeds of ibis plant one of the set to be offered 
in our Tree-seed distribution, though, as oven to 
send a small paoket to each applicant would re¬ 
quire us to secure a largo quantity, we cannot as 
yet make any definite promiso to do so. In case 
we do, however, all may try it next year upon a 
small Hoale, and estimate its value for them- 
eolvee. 
TEOSIMTE. —(SEE ILLUSTRATION P. 095.) 
Among novelties sent out by Vilmoriu A Co., 
of Paris (France) last year was Tooslnte (Iteana 
lnxurians), a fodder plant resembling corn in 
its stalk and loaf. The accompanying engrav¬ 
ing correctly shows the entire nlant. Oar seed 
was sown May 15. It. was, like the Pearl Millet, 
slow to germinate and slow to grow until late 
in summer when the rate of growth was very 
like that of corn. Oct. 12, after the leaves had 
been somewhat withered by frost, one of the 
largest plants was out and found to weigh ten 
pounds. It measured five feet in hight and 
consisted of seventeen stalks. Those sta Its 
wore thicker, softer, the j nice sweeter than those 
of corn. There wero more leaves also and they 
were broader and more tender. It is a peren¬ 
nial plant in its nativo home, Central America, 
where the stalks aro cut off and fed to cattle, 
new shoots again growing from the roots. Those 
plants which we cut back, made very little growth 
afterwards. The very large, tender leaves the 
heavy succulent stadia and their sweet juice and 
the luxuriant growth of the plant during hot 
weather, might warrant a trial of Teosinte in 
our more Southern States. 
-- 
MILLETS AND THEIR ALLIES. 
PKOFESHOU W. J. UK A. I.. 
KINDS Iff MILLET. 
The term “ Millet” is applied alone or in con¬ 
nection with some adjective to a groat variety of 
grasses, the word is about as indefinite as the 
term bilious, or smut, or mold, or pigweed. 8or- 
ghum vulgaro and its varieties aro known as In¬ 
dian millet, hurra, Doura, Guinea corn, Sweet 
sorghum, Chinese sugar-cane, Imphee, broom- 
corn, etc. Jl is called Dana in India, where it is 
used for horses, swine and poultry. 
The name “ Millet,” when used alone in this 
country, has mostly been applied to two Hpeoies 
of Panicum, viz : miliacoum and miliaro. Fan- 
icum miliacoum, or common millet, is a native of 
Southern Asia. In India it is called Warree and 
Cheenn. Both it aud P. miiiare aro consider¬ 
ably cultivated in Southern Europe and in va¬ 
rious parts or the United States, whore there are 
at least two prominent varieties ; one known aB 
brown and the other ftH yellow millet. 
USE AND CULTIVATION OF MIUET. 
The millets aro raised both for their grains 
and for their foliage. For fodder thoy should 
be cat as soon as thoy are found in blossom and 
cured in the samemaunor as hay. In this coun¬ 
try millet is mostly raised as a forage or fodder 
plant. All of the millets and the like, are annu¬ 
als, and prefer a rich, warm, mellow soil. The 
seeds, like those of Indian corn, will not grow 
well in cool weather, but require considerable 
heat, For this reason millets are not of much 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
2 
use in England. There is no use in sowing the 
seeds till the 'ground is well warmed up by the 
spring sun. 
Millet is an exhaustive crop, but with a good 
season and suitable soil, the yield is often enor¬ 
mous, rnnning up to four or five tons, or more, 
to the acre. On poor or unfavorable soil it is cer¬ 
tainly an unprofitable orop. The seed is usually 
sown broadcast from twolvo to thirty-two quarts 
to the acre, usually about twenty quarts. It is 
harrowed in with a light implement. It may ho 
sown with a drill, if it Is mado to run shallow. 
The seeds aromuoh smaller than those of wheat, 
oats or barley; hence they will not bear sowing 
so deep as will those grains. The tops of Pani¬ 
cum miliacoum, or common millet, are open, 
spreading and noddiug, much like the topB of 
broom-corn or heavy panicles of oats. 
ALLIES OF MILLET. 
The genus Panicum is a very large one. Pan¬ 
icum pilosum is cultivated in India as Bhadee, 
also Panionm frnmentaceum which is called Bha- 
moola in the Deooan. 
Several of our grassy weeds belong to this 
genus, as Panicum sangninale, crab grass or 
finger-grass ; also Panicum glabrum, or smooth 
crab-grans, iB met with in the Southern 
States. Panicum oapillare is often sold as an 
ornamental grass, under several different names, 
such as hair-grass, old-witch grass, etc. It is 
a common though not a very bad weed all over 
the Northern Slates. The tops, when ripe, break 
off and arc blown over and over along the 
ground for long diHtancos. In this way the seeds 
are scattered. One of our most prominent and 
weedy annual grasses abounding everywhere is 
Panicum Orus-galli, 
BARNYARD ORASS, OR DOCK'S-FOOT. 
This is exceedingly variable in size, color, 
length of awns, etc. The topB are green, purple, 
or reddish. The plant appears so different un¬ 
der different cironmHtanceH that it is often 
mistaken by very good botanists as belonging to 
several species or evon to different genera. It 
grows very fast and becomes large and rank on 
sandy soil which is moiat and well manured. I 
have often soon horses, cattle aud sheep eat it 
as though thoy liked it. I have sometimes out 
it for hay or to feed when partially cured, al¬ 
ways to find that all kinds of grazing animals 
devoured it with avidity. So far as I know, 
barnyard grass is always treated with abuse us 
a weed, an unwelcome plant, an invader. It is 
a self-seeder, and, in favorable Boils, springs up 
with astonishing rapidity. This thick seeding, 
abuso and neglect probably tend to make the 
stalks small and the seeds small and few in 
number. If I mistake not, here is a grass wor¬ 
thy of some care and thought. It lookH im though 
it was very sensitive to good treatment and 
would soon turn out to be valuable, tf it had good 
culture and if eoeds of (ho best were annually 
selected, Who will try it ? 
Closely related to the gonas Panicum and 
sometimes included as a section of it, is Setaria. 
There wo two of these common all over onr coun¬ 
try, in fields and gardens, where they are knowu as 
pigoon-graBH, bottle-grass, fox-tail, wild-timotby 
etc. These aro Setaria glauoa aud Sotaria viri- 
diB and more rarely Setaria vortlotllata. TheHo 
three aro all treated as woods, though, when 
young, cattle aro fond of them either when 
green or dried. Setaria viridis looks much like 
a small specimen of 
HUNGARIAN GRASS. 
The latter is Setaria Italica or Setaria Germa- 
nlca. BoHideH Uio common name of Hungarian 
grass, it is also of ton called Golden millet, Cat¬ 
tail millet, Italian millet, Bengal grass, Mam¬ 
moth millet. The latter name is likely to be 
applied to apeoltneua which grow in favored 
localities. In such cases the spikes often grow 
fifteen or more inches inlougth. Setaria Italica 
is a native of Southern Asia and is raisid to 
a considerable extent in India where it iH called 
Kala, Katigneo or Kora lUog. This, like the 
other millets, grows rapidly and likes the heat. 
Iu many oajes, the spikes are cylindrical and, 
at a little distance away, appear to bo un- 
branchod On largo specimens, the thick branches 
are more apparent. Homo specimens have long, 
tapering and drooping Bpikos, others aro 
shorter, broader and club-shaped. A club- 
shaped spike, reduced about one-third, is shown 
in figure 2, see p. 097. 
Once in a while somo lncky man succeeds in 
producing some Bort of millet of extraordinary 
size; then porhapH ho advertises it under a new 
name, or sells the stock to Homo scodsman. The 
Department of Agriculture at WaBbiugton some¬ 
times distributes tho seeds. This specios hail 
sported into many varieties and no doubt by 
constant selection and care those would soon 
be as distinct and unlike each other ue are our 
varieties or Indian corn, which now appear as 
Deutcorn, Flint corn, Sweet corn, and Pop corn 
in numerous varieties. Setaria Italica is more 
popular iu the West thau iu the East whore tho 
soils are generally not so deep or rich. Tho 
treatment, uses, quality of seed, aud vegetation, 
as well as tho yield, aro much the Bamo as in the 
case of common millet. 
Sotarla ltalioa in its numerous forms, has 
from time to time, in the South and West, had 
a groat run with varying results. Some peo¬ 
ple like to raise it and have coutinuedrits use for 
years, while others try it one year only to re¬ 
ject it ever afterwards. In 1859 or earlier 
“ American Weeds and Useful Plants" was re¬ 
vised. With reference to this species, the au¬ 
thor says that it was “ some years ago intro¬ 
duced into Pennsylvania, bnt it was soon found 
not to bo as valuable as the usual fallow crop of 
oats or barley. Tho cultivation soon declined 
and is now generally abandoned." It is still 
raised In many places in the Wost and South. 
For reasons which I do not fully understand, 
the seeds of all millets are usually considered 
dangerous for horses and cattle. Perhaps it is 
because tho animals swallow so much of tho 
fine floods without crushing them, in which case 
they do not digest, well. Some men praise mil¬ 
let as safe for all animals. If ground and fed 
judiciously, I have no doubt it is a wholesome 
and valuable food for all kinds of livo stock. 
Wo learn of Home who have tried it as human 
food. They like it, give several recipes for 
cooking it, aud say it much resembles hominy. 
ELUSINE CORACANA. 
is a Bort of crab-grass for which I know 
no definite common name. Somo five years 
ago, I received Beads from tho Kew Gardens. 
It has grown at tho Michigan Agricultural Col¬ 
lege in small quantity ever since. It grows 
about two fcot or a little more In bight and is 
quite uniform iu appearance. The vegetation 
is not largo, hut it seeds profusely. It has ma¬ 
tured seed well every year in this froBty coun¬ 
try with Bhort seasons, and has had time to 
spare. It ripens quite evenly. 
Figure 3, see cut, page 697, showa the top in 
fruit, natural size. The seeds closely resemble 
those of millet in size, color, and tasto. Tho 
plant is raised in India where it goBB by the 
name of Natolinoe, Nsglariigeo or Maud. It is 
there raised for the grain and is considered cf 
great valuo, especially when tho crop of rico is 
cut short. 
Agricultural College, Lansing Mlcli. 
---- 
GOLDEN vs. COMMON MILLET. 
COL. F. D. COBTIS. 
We shall bo under obligations to the Ruual 
for telling us all about millet. “ Experience is 
a good teacher," so tho old provorbsaya; but, 
then, it is costly oftentimes. Wo have found 
this to bB so twice in growing Golden millet. In 
both cases it was sowed loo late and did not 
ripen the seed before frost came. This year it 
was put in the same day with tho bailey—tho 
first of Juno—and it hardy escaped the frost the 
last of September. Wa have found out that 
Golden millet requires, in our latitude, not a 
day loss than three aud a-bair months to ripen 
tho seed. We aro satisfied it will yield nearly 
double the amount of soed when woll ripened 
over the common millet, or Hungarian grass. 
When the seed is an important itom in the calcu¬ 
lation, Golden millet is the best, provided there 
is time to ripen the crop, and provided tho 
ground is rich, ir these necessary conditions 
cannot be met, tben the common millet is the 
most profitable. Tho latter will mature in two 
months and a-ba)f and ripen tho seed perfectly. 
Tho seed is just as good for feeding, hut there 
is not so much of it. It will produce a full crop 
on poorer land, as the oorn-liko blades of the 
Golden and the large, bunchy heads must he fed 
with a strong soil. This crop is necessarily more 
exhaustive. Common millet will make as good 
fodder when cut green, hut the Golden, on very 
rich land, will yield more tons to the acre. If 
both crops are allowed to ripen before cutting, 
the golden would be the more desirable for bay. 
Tho common would resemble straw and the 
Golden would he more like a dry cornstalk. 
Common millet iB a handy orop, as it may be 
sown on patches where other oropa havo failed, 
or on spots in meadows where tho giass is run 
out, in which case it can be harvested with the 
other grass. It is “bandy" to supplement a 
short grass crop any time, and may bo bowii alter 
an early spring crop lias been gathered, and, 
with its prompt and rapid growth, produce a 
good yield of forage. Our cattle like the millet, 
evon after it lias been killed by the frost while 
growing, and in this condition it is almost worth¬ 
less in comparison with that which bus been out 
green and nicely cured. We have a somewhat 
shiftless practice of throwing a bundle of millet 
down on tho barn floor ami letting tho hens pick 
it out for thomsolves. This saveB the labor of 
thrashing, furnishes amusement for the chick¬ 
ens and koepK them out of mischief. 
Tho seed of millet is excellent food for poul¬ 
try, and when ground and mixed with bran or 
meal is healthful for stock and will give them 
the glossy look which oil moal doos when ani¬ 
mate ure fed on it. 
Kirby Homestead, Oct. 9,18T8. 
---- 
EXPERIENCE WITH PEARL MILLET. 
Mr. P. W. Hollingsworth, of Los Angeles Co., 
Cal., writes us that he sowed soma Pearl Millet 
seed sent him by tho Roual, in February, aud 
some in April. Tho former did not come up on 
account of the oool oveuingfl, ho thinks; whilo 
tho latter came up woll, and has made a strong 
growth. Ho irrigated a part of it, and that part 
has seeded well, but tho part lie failed to water, 
didn’t Jill. Ho thinks, with ub, that had ho 
planted it on laud having an ordinary amount of 
moisture, it would all have done well without 
irrigation. As every farmer Bliould do with all 
new and promising plants, lie intends to make 
farther experiments with it next year. The 
corn orop, ho says, is above an average in most 
of the county, while tho barley is below an aver¬ 
age on account of late rains last spring. The 
fruit crop in good, with the exception of apples, 
which this year Boom to havo fared badly oven in 
“ tho finest climate of the world, Sir,” as most 
Californians claim theirB to be. The Monarch 
of the West Strawberry, is tho Strawberry for 
California, in his opinion, and it could not well 
have gone farther west to show itself worthy of 
its name. 
--- 
THE CHINESE YAM. 
8. U. PECK, 
Some thirty years ago this esculent, with an 
additional foreign name, caino npon the Htage 
and was planted and experimented upon and jok¬ 
ed over tm growing down through the earth and 
clinched on the other side in China—hence its 
name. (This Yam—the Disoorma batatas—has a 
bettor claim to tbo prefix, Chinese, thau that hu¬ 
morously assigned to it here by Mr. Pock ; for it 
was cultivated in China and Japan long beforo 
its introduction to Europe, about 1848, by 
the Fronch consul at Shanghai. Soon after that 
it was brought to this country and exolted con¬ 
siderable interest for a time.—E ds.] Tho 
plant and its culture soon died out for tho 
want of patronage. Some ten years sinoe it 
was partially resurrected aud was advertised by 
a nurseryman in Indiana, but ho claims that it 
did not pay to raise it for market soed purposes. 
In "Tho Farmer's Book,” by 0. W. Dioker- 
man, published in 1870, is a particular descrip¬ 
tion of tho plant and tho best methods of its 
culture accredited to tho “ Canada Farmer,” 
from which I make a few quotations : 
“It is destined to supersede the tropical and 
unreliable potato iu all northern climates. It 
is a native of the northern limitB of tho tem¬ 
perate zone—will endure everywhere the win¬ 
ters in the open ground—produces abundant 
crops from tho fragments left iu the ground— 
will flourish best in tho now useless sandy lands— 
will succeed in any soil except a stiff clay—from 
tubers which grow among tho foliage, tho roots 
attain 10 or 12 iuohes iu length—it is more pal¬ 
atable than tho best Mercer potato—much more 
nutritious than wheat or any other grain—tho 
only vegetable which combinos wit Ji its other in¬ 
gredients an ample portion of azote.” 
Others state that it continues to grow from 
year to year, and increase iu size without any 
diminution of quality aul maybe harvested at 
any season of tho year as wanted, that it is not 
injured by any fronts, that the vines may bo 
trained on stakes or left to trail on the ground. 
In the spring of 1877 I was presented with a 
small Yd.m freshly dug. It was planted in sec¬ 
tions of one to t wo Inches in length, in sandy 
soil unuianured. After I had given up tho idea 
of ever seeing anything more of tho piooes, tho 
yonng vinos peeped through tho ground about 
June, and wore provided with eight-foot stskes 
which thoy clung to affectionately and were soon 
at tho top looking for a chance to olimb higher. 
This fall, 1878,1 essayed to test the growth and 
edibility of tbo tuber;. The first effort was un¬ 
successful; 1 only found a pi oe of a Yam or 
root, chipped off by tho spade, flomo 18 inches 
down. A few days afterwards I attacked an¬ 
other specimen, determined to probe to tho bot- 
if there wero any bottom. At the depth of 
about a foot tho stem seemed to detach itself, and 
by its side was a bud evidently designed for an¬ 
other year’s growth. At tbo b»RO of this wero 
tbo first branching rootlets, and about a foot 
furthor down I came upon tho stem of the tu.ber j 
averaging half an inch iu diameter, and slightly 
tapering. Below thin was the yam, nearly a foot 
in length, and about two inches iu diameter, 
tapering at each end. Below tbo upper stun 
tho whole tuber was very tender, and could 
hardly bo exhumed whole. 
So much with regard to the growth of this 
oriental Yam; now with regard to its taste. 
Well, after baking it, we found it iu no way ob¬ 
jectionable ; the dyspeptic members of tho fam¬ 
ily ate it witbont fear or protest. I said it was 
like arrow-root aud rico, that it needed extra 
flavoring, and flU.-jgoBted cranberry sauce or cur¬ 
rant Jelly, aud hinted that it should bo used in¬ 
stead of potato in making bread. On tbo whole, 
I think it worthy of cultivation on light soils. 
Suppose a vigorous man, living at a distance 
from market, has company to dinner iu tlio 
month of June, and lus wifo tells him that slio 
is without tho indispensable potato, just think 
of the glow of pleasure with which ho remarks, 
as ho doffs his coat aud seizes his spade, “ Well, 
my dear, luckily tlioro is a substitute always 
within reach of a good digger," 
Muskegon Co., Mich. 
e chief use of the Chinese Yam has not 
mentioned litre by our friend, Mr. Peok ; 
i our readers know from our references to 
many former occasions, it is far more do- 
;ig of cultivation for ornamental than for 
try purposes. Tho vines run from 10 to 
A aud have rich, dark-green heart-shaped 
8 in the axils of which are produoed bulb- 
muller than an ordinary pen, from which, 
11 as from cuttings of tho upper portion of 
oot, the plant is propagated. 
