The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-06-04
Planning a4s calo7atlns soss bua,.


In the treatise oIl Sorgho" OF Issac
A. Hodges-who is said To have been
the pioneer and practical experimenter
with the Chinese sugar cane in the
West-he states that sufficient atten-
ton has not usually been given to the
preparation of the soil and planting of
the seed. The soil should be plougbed
very deep, as the roots sometimes pen
citrate three fee. downwards. A free
use of lime and wood-ashes is advan-
tageus to the crop. Ii has been re-
commended to plant the seeds i'll rows
running north and south, but as the
westerly winds are most destructive in
laying the standing crop, rows running
east and west should be made, because
they will stand up much better against
such gales. The Chinese cane may be
transplanted like cabbage plants. and
early crops may be raised by starting
hot beds and transplanting lin May or
June. Or when the seed is planted in
the field, missing hills may be supplied
with plants taken from prepared bed.
Every farmer who plants sorghum
should pursue this method. If planted
in bills, these should be about four feet
apart if in drills the seed should be
about six inches apart. Careful plant
ing is the frst important step to secure
an early and a paying crop.
Upon the subject of treating the seed
of the imphee Leonard Wray, who in
troduced it from South Africa, says =
!" have sometimes soaked it for
,twenty-four hours i'll warm water pre-
vious to planting, in order to expedite
its termination, as seeds so treated
will in warm moist weather, be up in
four days afterwards whereas, being
planted during showery weather.
without this assistance, they usually
take six or seven days for sproutiug
and if dry weather sets in after plant
ing, it will be ten or fourteen days be-
fore they appear above ground. The
practice of soaking hold toll be good
one." An argument in favor of soak
ing the seed is also advanced by Mr..
Hodges he says" would especi-
ally caution farmers against planting
seed without first having tested its
capabi!ity of termination then having
satisfied themselves ON this point, let
care be taken not to plant too thickly."
Shallow planting is also recommended.
In no case should the seed be set more
than an inch in depth, and half an inch
is sufficient When set deep the seed
is liable to rot should rain occur i'm
mediately after planting. In all cases
it should be planted in ridges-never
in burrows, so that it may receive great
er warmth from the sunshine and not
be so liable To be saturated with mOls-
ture during wet weather. About from
eight to ten seeds are recommended for
each hill.
After the plants of the cane are up,
an occasional top dressing of plaster
and lime is suggested by MIR. Hodges
The best crop of sorghum we ever ex-
amined in New York was planted on
loamy soil sloping to the south, and the
plants bad received a top-dressing of
manure from the hen house. A prize
was awarded to this crop by one Of the
county agricultural societies. The Gus
tom of killing around the rows as in
corn culture, is advantageous and
early cultivation between the rows to
keep down the weeds is positively nee
essary to secure good crop.-Scienti-
fc american.