The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1877-06-27
German SsiIIet.

The following article we take frcm the
Southern Planter and Farmer written
by one Of its spondents and believe
it will interest a number Of our readers:
It's Origin.-Just after the close Of
the late war, Mr. David Dismukes, near
Sheibyville, Tenn, imported some millet
seed from Germany, and began its cult
walton. He was a large stock raiser
and by experience had become discour-
aged with our usual forage plants. Oats,
he said, would fail by the rust; Hunga-
rian grass would fail by drought; the
old fashioned Missouri miilet was un-
certain, too exhaustive, and too coarse;
/ and timothy and red clover would not
answer his purpose. He, therefore,
wrote to friend in Germany for the
seed Of the above millet As he got but
| Il small package Of seed to begin with,
/ he could not dispose OF any seed until
| the third season. He sold seed for two
or three seasons following, for from So
to IS per bushel. But the plant is so
prolific in seed that the price was soon
reduced. Every one that tested the for
| age qualities Of the plant were more than
! pleased, and for two or three years at
| ter its merits had been proved, the price
| Of the seed ruled at panic prices in Mid
/ die Tennessee, Southern Kentucky and
Northern Mississippi and Alabama.
/ The high price Of the seed induced
/ some unprincipled dealers at a distance
| 10 palm off Hungarian grass seed or old
| Missouri millet seed for the genuine
German millet seed; and many farmers
were induced to pronounce 1t hum
| bug.
However, those who have tried the
| genuine article, would not give it up Tor
any other forage plant known. Several
years residence in Southern Kentucky,
where tits universally used as the forage
plant for hay, proved to me, as to all
others, that it Is superior TO all other for
age plants. Said one Of the best farm
| ers Ga man not given to boasting) in
| Southern Kentucky: II would not be
without German millet for anything. |
would not give one acre Of it for five
acres of the best oats | ever saw. For
work stock, it takes the place Of rough
ness and corn too; and there Is nothing
equal to it for milk COWS. In fact, |
/ have but one objection to it, it makes my
/ brood mares and fine horses too fat and
/ uHNitiulN- anu luItICl VI 4dl iLICLo
that have tried it will repeat the same.
Time for sowing and harvesting: From
| the 1st to the Goth of May is the best
! time for sowing. Have your land thor
oughly prepared by breaking deep, har-
rowing or rolling; then SOW your seed
and then harrow lightly. Sow on rich,
moist land if you have it. If it is good
season. it will do well enough on high
sandy loan if rich. Drought Injuries it
more or less, and especially is this the
case if the drought sets in before the
young plants get well started. If posi-
| bic sow just ca the eve Of rain, and
then you are pretty sure. On moist
| land it may be sogn at any time up to
the 10th of July. If your land is rich,
and you want it for hay, SOW from four
to five peclls to the acre. If you cut for
hay, cut when the head has begun to turn
yellow, but before it has lost all Of its
grcenish cast, If you cut for seed, let
the head get full yellow cast. Even
when left to ripen for seed, it still makes
fine mag. a few square rods left from
the hay patch TO ripen, will make seed
enough 10 SOW large crop.
In cutting for hay, cut some clear
morning, and cock up in the evening,
and as soon as dry, which will be in a
few days, house or stack. When cut
thoroughly ripe, it may be housed or
stacked at once.