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Show DRY FARM SORGHUM Two Types Do Unusually Well in Arid Regions. Method of Preparing Seed Bed Does Not Differ Materially From That of Treating Corn Plant la I Sensitive to Cold. (By It. T. rATTKRfiOV. Montana Experiment Ex-periment Station ) There are two types of sorghum that do unusually well In regions of a light precipitation. The sweet or saccharine sac-charine sorghum Is perhapa grown more for its sugar content than for forage purposes. The non saccharine Is known primarily as a fodder sorghum. sor-ghum. Under thla group we have the mllo maiie and the kafflr corn. The plant Is a very rank grower and furnishes considerable feed. It grows unusually well upon light soils apd In hot climates. However, It will do better when grown upon the loam and when supplied with sufficient moisture. The method of preparing the seed bed for sorghum does not differ materially ma-terially from the method of preparing the seed bed for corn. If the land Is to be plowed In the spring It must be turned over to a depth of about six or seven Inches. The land should then be disked, harrowed onco or twice, when the seed may be sown. The method of seeding and the amount of seed sown per acre will vary according accord-ing to the purpose of the crop. If It ts desirable to secure a crop of seed, we usually drill the seed In at the rate of six to seven pounds per acre. The seed may be drilled either with the common grain drill or with the corn planter. Some farmers seem to have secured better results by drilling the sorghum In with the corn planter, placing the rowa about three feet six Inches apart and the seeds from four to eight Inches apart In the row. A largo amount of seed Is used when the grain Is broadcasted. It Is customary to put In about fifteen pounds per acre. Of course, this nmount will vary with the character of tho soil and season. If there Is any danger of any of the seeds rotting, rot-ting, we should make allowance for this and put on a larger amount per ocre; also if some of the seeds do not germinate It will mean that more seeds must bo used. Sorghum Is not sown until quite late In the season or until the soil has warmed up quite thoroughly. The plant Is very tender and If the soil happens to be very wet and cold the feeds will not germinate, the young plant will not grow. Ilest results have always been secured se-cured by the use of fresh seed. The seed loses Its vitality very quickly and If, old seed Is used good results are not always obtained. The amount of seed will also vary according to the amount of moisture present In the soil. If the crop Is to be grown upon Irrigated land we usually add about four pounds per acre to the amount given above. Upon Irrigated land the need Is also sown with a drill or wtth a broadcast seeder. If the sorghum Is drilled In the subsequent care will be the same as that for corn, but If It Is broadcasted It receives but little care until time for harvest. However, harrowing Immediately after seeding and just as the grass comes through I lie soil has been known to give good results. This will keep down tho weeds and will also aid In forming a mulch over the surface, which will preserve pre-serve the moisture. Sorghum Is a quick growing plant and as was mentioned before, furnhes a great d ul of fod-ler. fod-ler. If a forage crop Is to be secured, !he grain should be cut before the full dooming period Is reached. Hut cne rrop Is secured In a M-ason. The binder or the mower may be used In removing the crop. The grass when rut with tho mower should be allowed :o cure and then hould be placed In imall cocks or piles. This will permit nf Its thorough drying and curing, rbe crop, If cut with the binder. Is handled In much the same way as Is :he small grains. To secure a crop sf seed we must not harvest until the train Is In the milk or early doughy itage. The plant Is used almost exclusively ex-clusively to aecure the crop of seed. I"be bundles are placed In shocks and ullowed to dry, when they are threshed, w Ith the common thrtshlng machine. It Is not customary to allow al-low the entire bundle to pass through the thresher, but to thrust the heads into the cylinder and then remove the other portions. This will not break up the stalks and as a resu't Home good fodder may be obtained. The yields from sorghum vary from len to ninety bushels per acre, the average being about forty five bushels. As high as 15 tons of fodder has also been secured from this crop In tho rhl regions. |