The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-03-10
rs! 9SsSS3S.H-----N:
COkOMBIlN>M MfLLET.


Messrs. Editors: brought with INC
: from South America species of mill
let, which in tho tropical regions serves
the common people instead OF corn.
''Millo" Is their main cereal depend
ence, because, suppose, it is their
cheapest and most abundant crop. l
have experimental with it for three
seasons, and believe it will be Of
great utility to our people. 1t resem-
bles sorghum, and should not be grown
near it or broom corn, because it will
mix. The stalk has no sweetness, how
ever, and the whole strength of tho
plant goes to making seed. This re-
scmblts what is known among us as
"Guinca Corn;" but it is rounder,
more mcaly and Of cream white
color, instead Of the reddish hue Of the
guinea corn. From what know Of
the plant both here and in Colombia,
believe il will produce twenty to
! twenty-five bushels to the acre on land
that is too thin to yield five bushels Of
corn. This is one main rccommenda-
ton, rs it will enable us to utilize our
poorest lands. The plant is Of very
slow growth in the spring, just like
cotton, till warm weather begins, and
then it grows straight along till frost.
The scvcrcst drou.lits we have had the
past three years did not seem to affect
it 6. Al |; and at first the leaves were
flesh and green clear down to the
ground. No annual am acquainted
wiz. hA; anything like its vitality.
Ab"at Tie middle Of February, when
preparing my garden to plough, after
a! .le severe cold Of this winter, in
which the thermometer has been down
to zero, the stalks of last years millet
was yet green, and looked rs if tho
roots had life enough to shoot out
a:rcsA with the opening spring. The
first seed I planted was rs late as the
l4th Of June, and as tho crop il very
slow in maturing, repeated killing
tro*ta caught it in milk; yet though
The leaves were killed, the vitality of
the seed was not affected; it did not
fiji out, indeed, ns well as it would
otherwise have done, but it furnished
NE ali the seed have. The grain is
too small to be ted to stock without
grinding-and yet as it is softer than
corn, it is possible that horses and cat
tie may digest ii without even chew
ing it. AS food for chickens, do not
k:ow that it has any equal-they are
crazy to get it. The weavels, too, are
about as crazy for !; as the chickens
which suppose means that it is good
eating-eo that it needs to bc kept in
sacks as safeguard against their tlcprc-
dations. think that, ground aud
bolted, it will make very superior
meal or -four; but have not had an
opportunity Of testing the suggestion.
1t is so much superior in quality to
our popped CORN, when parched. that
II planted as soon as the danger of
frost is fairly over and the earth be-
gins to warm, say the first or the mid
die of April, the seed will begin to
ripcn in September; and if tho first
large heads are then cut valuable
second crop will shoot out at the top,
and the stalks can be cut before frost
comes, and stacked up, as the Nortl,
Virginia farmers do, to feed to stool;
during the winter.
Circumstances which I need not ex-
plain have prevented my successful
experiments with it rs green food for
milch COWS during the summer; but |
am firm in the conviction that it will
be Invaluable in this regard. Its cx-
traordinary vitality, its late growth.
It's resistance to drought, its native
habits Of bearing two and three crops
| Gn tho troplcs) from one planting,
springing up again from the root when
cut down in the driest season, as well
as my own experiments IN q small
way in cutting three or four times the
same plants last Year, all convince me
that 1t will 10 finely as successor to
Lucerne, which fails as soon as hot
weather sets in, whereas the Millet is
Just then in its glory. Having for the
first time plenty Of seed, 1 intend to
broadcast it in April. and test it thor
oughly as n green food.
For seed, plant IN rows three feet
apart, and drop three orr four seed
about foot and half in the drill;
hvc or six seed perhaps would not be
too much. do not thin it: for as the
seed comes at the top, crowding does
not eccm to hurt it.
have several quarts Of seed at the
drug store of Mcssrs. McNlaster, Brice
q ketchin, who will take pleasure in
distributing it to all who desire to ap.
ply. Yours, very respectfully,
II. B. PRATT.
WlEnsboro, S. G., March 9th, 1881.
MARK TJyAIN's LATEST.
y Very Good Story Told by Him at tho Bos.