The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-03-24

ant advantages over most other plants
useful for the same purpose. For ex-
ample. in yield of green material or of
hay II exceeds the legumes commonly
grown, and miilets. and uusally stands
above corn in this respect. While corn
has some advantages as a crop for the
silo, sorghum has even a greater ad-
vantage over corn as a hay plant, the
yield of sorghum being greater on poor
soil, the palatability greater and the
waste in uneaten stems decidedly less.
By sorghum as here used we mean
only the sweet varieties. In a number
of experiments made here. amber and
orange varieties of sorghum have given
larger yield both of green material
and of hay than have any of the nom
saccharine sorghums. In yield it has
in nearly every instance surpassed
pearl millet, which has been popular
with some.
AS between all of these plants and
sweet sorghum, the advantage of pala-
liability is decidedly with the latter.
Sorghum hay. unless moldy, is highly
relished by all hay eating animals. but
it must be said that sorghum hay is
very subject to mold and that its cur
ing in prime condition is often difficult
Our observations indicate that sorghum
hay with age loses in palatability
more rapidly than most other hays
Hence the farmer who has several
classes of hay should feed the sorghum
in the first portion of the feeding
period.
The maximum value of an acre of
sorghum is obtained by feeding IT
green. We have begun cutting sor-
ghum for soiling as early as June 10.
In 1901 we fed green until Nov. is. The
of q 81 frapZn then
it necessary to cut the crop, which was
shocked and fed from the shock up TO
Dec. l, during which time the stalks re-
tanned much of their succulence and
appetizing qualities.
No fear need be felt that sorghum
fed green will cause severe bloating.
The amount fed daily to 2-year-o old
cattle was so to so pounds per head,
and no unfavorable results occurred.
OF course necessary care was eXer-
cised in gradually introducing the
green food and in other respects. /
have fed green sorghum of the first,
second and third cutting to cattle,
horses and hogs ever since my early
boyhood, and cannot recall
single case where injury to health re-
suited. AL the cases of death of cattle
from sorghum seem to occur when
pasturing is practiced, and even then
it is the exception, and not the rule.
Late in November we turned calves in
to a small field, where they had ac-
cess both to green rye and to the
small frosted plants of second-growth
sorghum. To our surprise they spent
their time in eating the latter.
In growing sorghum for hay, the
first requisite is that the stems shall
be fine. This implies thick seeding,
and if the land is rich it will be nee
esSary to sow the seed broadcast, about
two bushels, or even more, per acre.
On our poor sandy hill lands we OBJ
tain a larger yield, without too great
ly increasing the size of stems, by
planting somewhat thickly in drills
about three feet apart, and giving the
necessary horse cultivation. 1t is of
course Improbable to hoe sorghum
intended for hay. The yield of sor-
ghum is greatly increased by judi
dicious fertilizing. No other field
crop will give a larger return to the
stable manure applied to it. A still
cheaper means of fertilizing sorghum
consists in planting it Immediately
after crimson clover or hairy vetch
is cut or grazed. Here an area from
which a crop OF crimson clover hay
had been Just cut afforded more than
twice as much sorghum hay as an adj
jacent plot where rye stubble was
plowed in. A similar increase oc-
cowpeas. Where no legume has been
grown just before the sorghum and
when no stable manure is available,
cotton seed meal, nitrate of soda or
other heterogeneous fertilizer may be
used with profit.
The number of cuttings which sor-
ghum affords depends on rainfall, land,
cultivation, fertilizer and the stage at
which the first cutting is made. Us
ually two, and with very favorable
conditions, three cuttings may be had.
The earlier the first cutting, the
greater the second growth. Sor-
ghum makes good hay from the time
the first heads show up to the period
when the seed are fully colored or
even hardened. We prefer the earlier
stages. A special merit of sorghum as
a solling crop is the fact that it is
ready for use at almost any stage of
growth, and that if left standing even
for weeks beyond the preferred time
of harvesting, it does not dry up, but
retains it's nutritive, appetizing quail
tiles.