Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1876-05-11
From the Rural Sun.
German MiIIet,

The honor Of starting the
production of German miIlet in
this country has been general
ly conceded to Rutherford coun-
ty, Tenn, while various opin-
ions have been given as. to
whence it came here and how.
The following furnished by Mr..
%. z. McRoberts of this city
will throw some light on this
point:
In 1866 or 1866 a German
came to this city with a small
stock Of seed and opened a store
on College street, and in June
or July his creditors from Gin
cinnati closed his store, and the
goods were turned over to me
for sale, and in the lot there
were nine bags branded Ger
man mllet, a large round seed
Of light straw color,
l sold them as German mil
let seed, guaranteeing nothing
either as to quality of the seed,
or the kind of product; simply
sold them by the brand on the
bags, German miIlet."
l induced John II. O'Neal
Esq, of Bedford county, tc
purchase three bags. He took
them home and sowed them
they came up finely, and he
was so we'll pleased with theil
appearance that he ordered
three more bags. I then de.
termined that the remaining
bags should be tested in the vi.
cinity of Nashville, which [ &C
compIisbed, aud the partie:
purchasing were delighted Will
their crops.
The bags containing the seet
were not Of the kind Of materi
al used in this country for seed
, and l have no doubt but tina
the seed were imported from
Germany. Many persons OBJ
jccted TO the coarse quality of
millet bay, while the larg'
quantity and the certainty OF
the yield have given it a pretty
widespread popularity, caus
, ing a very large crop to b.
grown in this State last season
, both for seed and hay. Tn,
seed crop was very large anc
the seed fine. The previou
, spring the seed was scarce ant
the price ran up to about $500
, All who raised seed in 1877
seem to anticipate a rich har
vest of profits, and many OF
, them put their seed on marke
lorg before the demand had O
pened. This had the effect t,
depress the price, and such wa
their anxiety to realize cash o.
, them before the opening Of tn
market time for them that til
market was fattened to a yer,
low price, so that it only opene,
at from eighty cents to $1.OO
bushel. 1t is claimed that thi
heavy falling off in the pric
; Of seed caused a decline in tn
estimate of millet in the State
, south Of us, and a consequen
lcssening Of demand for seed
Thus we see how the large Gro
of millet seed has been managed
till now the seed has droppe,
down to fifty-five cents, and il
some cases even as low as fort,
cents. This is one of the ba,
: results of over cropping an,
one product, which ought to b
: guarded against by diversity
, ing crops intelligently. w
advise those south of us who in
I tend to try millet to get sup
, plies Of seed now, as those of
fered are very fine and the ha,,
good, and it is asserted by thos
who have tried it that mile
will grow any where. If yor
wish hay SOW "broad-cast," on
bushel to the acre, and cut whel
in bloom, while the seed is still
! in the milky state, and tn
! stalks and leaves are tender, O
as soon as the head is formed
. If you wish it for seed, drill II
, rows, one peck to the acre, ant
cultivate by blowing, and Gu
: when fully ripe.