The Grenada sentinel., 1903-01-10
FARMER AND PLANTER.
ABOUT FEEDING SORGHUM.
In There n Poisonous Principle In
Sorghum mt Times That In Not
Present at OthersY

some very careful Investigations
have been made of this very old ques-
tion by the Nebraska experiment sta
tion, and definite results are claimed.
The toxic principle is said to be prus-
sic acid. The following statement
made by Mr.. f. A. Burnett, of that
station, is condensed from Breeders
Gazette, and will interest some of our
readers:
''Dr. a. T. Peters, animal patholo-
careful and accurate field observa~
tions. In numerous cases he has
turned stock into fatal fields and
watched the results. Not less than
three years ago he arrived at the fol-
lowing conclusions:
q. There is no foundation for the
theory that the animals choke to
death.
-. There is no foundation for the
theory that the animals die from indi-
gestion.
"3. Animals die from the effect Of
a poison which has been elaborated
in sorghum of stuntcd growth, not
from weeds or other plants.
~. The Symptoms are those of
prussic acid poisoning.
1.-The first chemical investigation
was conducted by Mr.. r. S. Hiltner,
of the university chemical depart
ment. His work consisted in showing
that the amount of nitrates in fatal
sorghum is inadequate to the effect
produced. On May Is of the present
NV
was read before the Royal society of
England. The authors show that
Egyptian sorghum vulgare contains
a glucose ''dhurrin" and a hydrolic
cnzym capable of breaking this glu-
cose into prussic acid and two other
substances. This paper, which fully
confirms Mr.. Slade's prediction, was
not in the hands of the Nebraska sta
ton worker till October 10. In the
meantime Mr.. Slade had himself con-
tirmed his prediction in regard to the
poisonous principle in Nebraska sor-
ghum.
''On July "a two cattle died at Cam
bridge. Neb., as the result Of eating
sorghum. Four days later Mr.. Slade
discovered that prussic acid could be
separated by distillation from the ia
tai cane. He next determined that the
prussic acid was present in the form
of glucoside. \ large amount of
analytical work has been done to de
ter1nne under what conditions cane
becomes dangerous. While the work
on katfir corn was in progress the
veterinarian of the Colorado agricul-
tural college wrote to the director of
the Nebraska station asking if this
station could throw any light on
very virulent outbreak of poisoning
by Kaffir corn in Colorado. AS the re-
suit of the correspondence DR.. Avery
visited Fort Collins October s. BY
the courtesy of the chemist of the
Colorado station an examination Of
kaffir corn. secured shortly after the
poisoning occurred. was made in the
Colorado laboratory. The poisonous
principle in Colorado Katfir corn was
found to be identical with that of Ne
braska common sorghum. though in
much larger quantity.
''In addition to the foregoing, the
forthcoming bulletin will give evil
dence on which the following conclu-
sions are based:
"Young plants confirm more COM
bined prussic acid than more mature
plants.
''second growth is not more danger
Gus than first growth.
"Frost does not increase the amount
of poison.
drought, by resisting develop
ment, tends to cause the plants to be-
come highly dangerous.
'''The danger increases as one goes
westward from the Missouri river and
this fact can not be explained by lack
of rainfall alone
'Reasons are given for believing
that properly cured sorghum is harm
less'
PRECEPT AND EXAMPLE.