The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1886-06-11
SORGHUM PLANTING.
A Semi-TrOpical Plant Which Requires
Considerable Care.

A Semi-TrOpical Plant Which Requires
Considerable Care.
In planting sorghum. it should be
borne in mind that the plant is more or
less tropical in its nature. and hence it is
not wise to begin planting too early.
Directly after corn planting is soon
enough. The ground must be well
warmed up before planting, so as to
push the termination of the seed as rap
idly as possible. Those who have grown
sorghum know how slowly is its growth
for the first week or two. This is the
critical time in the life of the crop, and
it is important that it be given all the
chances possible. This is the time, too.
when the weeds are pushing up and
growing with the greatest vigor. BY
deferring the planting, chance is given
for weeds to start, and then be killed
Just before planting the sorghum.
To keep the weeds from injuring the
crop is q matter of great importance.
We have no doubt that more loss re-
suits. to sorghum-growers through foul
land than by any other means; and the
necessity of having the land for this
crop as clean as possible from weeds,
and to keep those that are there in sub
lection, can not be too strongly urged.
A good preparation for sorghum. both
to clear the land of weeds and to give
good filth to the soil, is to pillow the land
early in the fall, 30 as to give the seeds
that are there q chance to terminate
I~oforo cv>r;,, ~ n ~ rlr, n a Tho SvvouuI (.
in condition, letting it lay until time to
plant, when a good narrowing with
such an implement as fertilizer, will
kill all weeds that have started, and
leave the soil fine and mellow.
To hasten the termination Of the seed
it may be soaked twenty-four hours in
water before Planting. Do not. in
planting, cover the seed too deep.
When one remembers how readily sOr-
ghum and other seed will sprout when
scattered on the surface of the ground
and subjected to the spring rains, it
would seem as though no covering was
needed; and. in fact, but little covering
is needed if the other conditions are
right. A general rule for covering seeds
is twice or three times their diameters.
If the soil is moist, seeds planted to that
depth will get the warm rays of the sun,
come up sooner and stronger than when
planted deep. 1t is often the case that
good seed is planted so deep that the
entire vital energies of the seed are ex-
hausted before the sprout can reach the
surface; or, if it does manage to come
through, it is weak, and makes but
feeble growth.
As to planting in drills or hills, beth
systems have their advocates, each
claiming that their system will yield the
most products. If the ground is quite
clean, drilling is probably the preferable
way; but if it is full of weeds, then plant
in bills at least, and it may be better to
plant in checks so that the cultivator
can run both ways.
With the ground properly prepared
and free from trash and Jumps, the best
implement to cultivate sorghum with at
first is a smoothing harrow. This can
be used until the plants are four or FIVE
inches high, and, if used frequently and
after every rain, it will be found to re-
duce the subsequent wedding very much.
Start the cultivator as soon as the har-
row is laid aside, and keep it agoing
until the sorghum is knee-higb, after
which time its growth is so rapid that it
soon shades the ground and keeps the
weeds in check.
The soil best suited to sorghum IS .
fertile but sandy loan. not containing
an excess of vegetable matter, and weA
drsined.-C0lm0m's Rural World