The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-05-12
Rice Corn, (Dhurra) Golden Millet.
German MiIlet.
Editor Of the Florida Agriculturist.

Editor Of the Florida Agriculturist:
l am much pleased at learning that
you have distributed, among your
Florida subscribers. the Rice Corn
sent you. 1t is certainly a valuable
grain. became acquainted with it
three and a half years ago in travel.
ing from the East to make a settle
ment here,-south part of central
kansas. found it in the next county
east of here, where they have the
same dry climate as here it was val
ued as grain and the stalk for fuel,
this being a treeless region.
In the spring Of 1877 I planted
about 100 hills on sod, that is, we
plow our prairie sod about two inches
deep, and whatever we plant, such as
rice corn, Indian corn. sorghum, or
millet, on this inverted sod we call
"sod CROP" That season was one Of
fair amount of rain, and we received
from 5 to 2S bushels of Indian corn
per acre, on sod, according to vari-
ETY. and time Of planting. But the
rice corn product was at rate OF full
80 bushels per acre. We gave away
considerable amount of our seed
and in the spring of 1878 planted
several acres, but much of it so late
that we had very little rain fall after
planting. All our paintings of 1873
were on sod, and the rate of yield
was from 5 to 80 bushels per acre.
That which yielded 5 to 20 bushels
was planted at a time when Indian
corn, planted at the same time, yield
ed nothing. The 35 bushel crop was
planted quite late in the spring.
Indian corn planted then would have
given 5 to 10 bushels per acre. The
season of 1878 was quite unfavorable
for spring planted,erops, though early
AZ a 4 I..,liAsA ,.e4ss s.., nsNe from.
D to 10 bushels per acre. At Lbs
time l heard of others in this. tn
Arkansas Valley, region having thi
grain and that it was considered
sure crop in a dry season when NJ
Indian corn could be depended OF
TO make crop. was so vel
pleased with it that sent a sampl,
mead OF it to the New York ,S,u,
asking If it would not be oooi
thing to offer with their weekly as ;
premium. The previous wear they
had distributed the Pearl, East Indi
an or Egyptian Millet in that wav
NY letter called out reply from the
Agricultural Editor, none other than
my old time horticultural friend A.
>, Fuller, who informed me that what
L mad sent was nothing more than a
"variety-a very good one, however
-ot the old home dhurra, (Sorqhal1a
c1iga'3s of botanists) introduced
some thirty years ago, and SO fre.
quently re.introduced under other
names" He added, II have three
varieties growing on my place yours
is like the best one. Tons of # are
grown In California. But because
say that it is not new, don't think
that l would intimate that it is not q
valuable grain" In 1878 / had q
bushel OF it ground tor flour and
found it to be excellent, much like
Indian meal, not so good in musb but
peter as bread, treated as you would
Indian meal tor making bread. Some
persons cannot use Indian meal on
account OF its not agreeing with
them; such persons will find no nm.
pleasant results from rice corn meal
we also used it as rice or hominv
boiling the whole grains. The floHr
we had made proved to be very dear
food for next spring rice corn was
selling at $500 per bushel and at one
time rose to $500. In 1879 proba.
bly, not less than 1000 acres were
planted to this grain in this county
and in the whole Arkansas Valley
I'm hansas) estimate the ACREAGE
at 10000 acres at least; while. for
the present season l cannot believe
there will be less than 100000 acres {
planted. The whole season OF 1879
was very dry, not more than 6 inches
of rain tell in II months. NV sod q
'roP, planted late, gave only 5 10 90 /
bushels per acre while one acre nn n
'id land, cultivated once, Qate plant. 4
~ gave fully 10 bushels Of fine 3
arge grains, and the crop was TOO n
hin on the ground. !,