Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-04-28

a shortage Of moisture. especially
when they are making their heaviest
growth. However, there Is no more
damage done by dry weather to millet
than any other crop.
Millets Are Usually Sown as Catch
Crop.
Millets are La a general thing, not
used in the regular rotation but are
sown. on land that 1t is desired to have
cleaned up, or where h other crops
have failed, or on land that was too
wet to be seeded al the proper time In
the spring. Under such conditions
they work in splendidly in the crop
ping system.
The millets are generally grown for
the hay Inc for this purpose are cut
before the seed is matured. How
ever. It is possible to secure a fairly
good crop of seed and also hay. at the
same time, although the best hay is
made by cutting the crop before the
seed is fully mature3
When the seed is the main consid-
Grafton, it should be allowed to fully
mature before the crop is harvested,
as a larger yield and a better quality
of seed will be secured.
The strongest competitor of mtllet
in the drier and southern parts of this
region is Sudan grass. However, in
the vicinity of Grand Forks, Sudan
grass does not mature seed, but 1t
as the seed of this crop is relatively
cheap. it may be advisable for some
to make more extensive trials of Su-
dan grass. In some respects Sudan
grass is superior to the millets, and
our experience is that it will make
fully as heavy, or heavier yield. al
though it does not mature seed In this
vicinity.
Millet may be used as a soiling
crop, that is to be cut and fed green
to milk COWS or other stock. in the
summer time, when the pastures are
short, and they are very we'll adapt
ed to this use. Any of the millets
may be used for this purpose. but the
larger growing millets such as Ger
man. Pearl. ETC.. are more suitable for
this than the common or fox-tail mill
let's. which are usually grown in this
region. They make large yields of
good succulent feed. at this time.
The use Of millet for Kidding the
land can be prepared after all weeds
have started. and the blowing or
working of the soil in preparation for
the seeding Of millet, will destroy
these weeds. and the millet usually
grows so rapidly and dense that it
snlothers out the weeds, and it is gen.
orally considered that the growing of
a millet crop has much the same eff
feet and value as sumner fallow.
Many Varieties of Millet.
Any seed catalog will enumerate q
number Of varieties of millet, and IL
is true that a number of these names
and varieties are confused to a GER
tain extent. Consequently great care
should be taken in ordering, so as ia
insure getting the varieties that are
suitable to the localities where they
are to be grown.
The common millets, as we know
them in this region. with the excep-
ton Of broom corn millet. are all OF
heads are rather long. tapering to the
top, and the seed grows rather close
to the stem. These millets are earlier
than the German nlillet, which has a
spreading head. or the Peniciliaria
which has a. long. compact head
something like a cattail. The seed OF
the common millets, are yellow or
straw colored. although there are sew
eral important varieties that have
orange or dark amber seeds.
Hungarian Millet.
Hungarian millet is a variety tina,
las received considerable attention
especially in the central states, and Ii
grown to some extent in the north.
west. 1t is a little later maturing
than some of the other millets. but
unoer ordinary conditions will mature
in from sixty to seventy days, and will
make a fair crop Of hay in about
fifty-five days. Hungarian millet 1.
not SO we'll adapted to the dry
climates as h common millets. and
the yield in central localities is apt to
be smaller. but in the eastern section
where the rainfall is greater, Hun.
garian millet does we'll, and should b.
grown more widely.
The quality of hay is first class and
the chemical analysis seems to indi
cate a slightly higher proportion o.
protein for it than the hays of other
millets.
Siberian Millet.
Ihls Is a common variety, and ha,
a n orange colored seed. Quite otter
we find the Siberian and Hungarian
millets mixed, one having orange ant
the other dark purple seeds.
This Siberian millet is hardy ant
drought resistant, and suitable to tn,
northwest sections Of the Dakotas
Minnesota and Montana. In growth
and characteristics it is quite simila,
to the common millets. but is a trih.