Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-11-22
Eart4 &#tfrfete,
Sorghum as a Fodder Plant.

Sorghum has been grown in Ken
lucky and other Southern States for
many years, but mostly for making
molasses, until a few years back. For
the past five or six years 1t has at
tracted considerable attention as a
fodder supply for the fall months,
and until about February of the win
ter>feeding season; after that time it
appears to lose some of its sweetness,
and stock do not eat it with the same
avidity as in the early part of winter.
All kinds of stock are fond Of it, and,
being very nutritious, it supplies a
want in our feed demand that moth
ing else can fully supply. We have
used it for a number of years with
constantly increasing appreciation of
its value. Early in the fall it can be
cut and fed green to supplement the
failing pastures, with little trouble
and with great advantage to the
stock, especially mich cows, enab-
ling them to keep up a steady flow of
milk much longer without regular
winter feed. After the sorghum is
cut and cured for winter use, we
think the better plan is to feed it cut
into short lengths, say half an inch,
with some good cutting machine.
We use one run by steam, and can
cut enough in an hour to feed fifty
head of cattle for week; and this is
about as long as it can be kept in
good condition; must be spread out
and stirred occasionally to prevent
heating. When only few head Of
stock are to be fed, a sufficient supply
can be easily furnished by hand
cutter. Stock will eat it if fed whole;
but our experience is that there is
much less waste in feeding it cut, to
say nothing of the convenience.
There is no plant known to us that
will produce as much valuable feed
to the acre as sorghum, and, of course,
it is more exhausting to land than
less vigorous growing plants. But
we can well afford to remedy this
exhaustion by generous manuring, as
it only takes few acres to supply
even large farmer with plenty OF
the very best fodder food for winter
use. One great advantage in raising
stock, even at the present low prices
(this applies more particularly to cat
tle,) is the amount of valuable ma,
nure that can be made and returned
to the land. Keep stables well sup
piled with straw, and, in addition
keep a large open shed or a small lot
where the cattle stay, constantly COW
cred with straw and stock fodder
(cOrn stalks.) 1t is a far more profit
able way to utilize straw than to burr
it in the field. In the spring you
have considerable space, two fee
deep, with excellent manure. Moth
ing pays better on the farm thar
making and judiciously using
manure. The manure question is too
big for incidental treatment, and W.
will get back to sorghum. There art
number of varieties of this plant
but if there be any material differ
ence as to its value as a food plant, W.
have not yet discovered it. We hav,
generally planted the Early Amber
and have found it very satisfactory
1t is an easy crop raised and seldom
fails, if planted on good land, t.
make a good crop. Any land tina
will make fair yield of corn will
make paying crop of sorghum. G
course, the richer the land the create
the yield will be, varying, owing t
quality of land and season, from te
to twenty tons per acre. In this lati
tude May is early enough to plant
and planted as late as the first of June
if seasonable, good crop may be eH
pected. The ground should be we
prepared by thorough blowing an
narrowing, until fine seed bed is 81
cured. Then take a common whes
drill, stop all the holes except two
the second from either end. Set til
drill to SOW two bushels to the acre
and il will, through the two ope
holes, sow one>half bushel to tn
acre, which will be just right, if tn
sorghum seed is fairly well cleaned
Just as the seed begins to sprout, an
before it begins to appear aboy
ground, harrow with a light smootl
ing harrow. This secures a Clea
fresh bed for the plants to come up il
and they commence to grow at one
After the plants are well up, two {
three plowings with an ordinar
dOuble-shovel is all the cultivatiC