The age-herald., 1902-04-27

plant formed the larger portion of the hay used on the farms, and was fed to good advantage to all the stock, cattle, sheen and horses and the farmer depend- ed upon it for feed to carry his work teams through the working season. have grown and fed up many crops Of millet and never had any bad results from feeding 1t but on the contrary always had my stock in good condition. But of late years there seems to have sprung up a prejudice against millet as feed, especially for horses. l am sure that II any bad results have occurred from feed ing millet 1t was because the crop was not managed properly. It will not do 10 let mllet get too ripe before harvest ing it should be cut before the seed get hard. The best time to cut millet IS when 1t Is passing out of the bloom stage and the seeds just beginning to form, when cut at this stage and put up without rain having fallen on the hay, 1t makes one of the very best of hay feeds.
 But if the seed are sown thin and the stalks grow up coarse and are allowed to stand until the seed are ripe the hay will be quite worthless. German millet Is the most valuable of all the millets and while the general directions as given for growing sorghum will answer also for millet, yet this crop will require even better soil and better preparation of soil to make a good crop than is required for sorghum The land must be made very fine, and put in very best state of culti- vatlon. as this crop has to be sown broadcast for the best results. The tim6 of sowing will depend upon conditions. though the crop should not be sown un- til the weather becomes warm. Sow from one to two bushels of clean pure seed per acre owing of course to the land per haps about one and one-half bushels per acre will be seed enough for most lands. The crop must be grown so thick that the stalks will not grow up coarse. Good seed and seed free from all weed and other grass seed only should be used.
 Then 1t is important to work the land ovor several times before sowing. so as to kill out all the weeds which may be in the land. So the land should be plowed as early in the spring as it Is dry and kept cultivated at intervals up to time for sowing the seed.
 The best time for sowing the seed is just before rain. Farmers who are close observers can often tell pretty well what the weather is likely to be for several days ahead, and so should plant to get their millet seed sown if possible just ahead of rain. instead of after. Have the land narrowed fine and SOW the seed right on the fresh narrowed land and then. turn right back and harrow the seed in on the fresh worked land and let all settle together.
 The seed can be m ore evenly distributed by the use of our improved broadcast seeder, but where these are not to be had the seeding may be done by hand. A good plan Is to have an exact idea of the amount of land you are to SOW, then weigh out seed enough for the land then divide the seed into two equal parts, go- ing over and sowing one half one way then turn and SOW the other half right across the field the opposite way. It will take good harrow to put the seed in deep enough then. too the harrow should not be allowed to gather trash or stones which would cause 1t to bunch up the seed, where the seed Is sown just before a rain as mentioned, they will come right up and grow up quickly thus getting a start Of any weeds which might come up. Some farmers make a practice of sowing peas and millet together, but I can see no advantage in this and think IL would be best to SOW the two crops separate. The millet like sorghum may also be used in the rotation of crops and can be sown on lands where carly crops nave been harvested off, but there would be risk in this as our late summer and Iali weather Is usually dry So to be sure or good crop of hay 1t will be best to set apart the land and comm ence ea. " ana manage as recommended above and chance getting some crop to follow after the millet Is harvested. The millet, unlike sorghum, will not put up a second growth that can be had from the seasons crop