Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1916-03-15
FORAGE CROPS FORARKANSAS
Mo. S. The Sorahums.
By Earl Fitzpatrick, Extension Agron-
omist, University of Arkansas.

Omist, University of Arkansas.
The sorghum family with its many
groups and varieties has been intro
duced into this country and developed
because of the power to withstand dry
weather, make large yields, and be-
cause OF the various uses. 1t is grown
for at least four distinct purposes. for
syrup, for hay and forage, for grain,
and for brooms. The main Uses in
Arkansas are for the first two, al,
though growing some of the kinds for
grain and brooms is done in a limited
way The sorghums may be divided
into two broad groups: First, sweet
or saccharine, or those which contain
"a large amount of juice rich in sugar,
from which syrup is made: Second.
:non-sacc harine or those which do not
contain the sweet juices as the kafirs
and broom-corn.
= Amber, orange, sumac or red top,
honey or Japanese seeded, and Texas
seeded ribbon are the common varie'
ties of sweet sorghums grown. The
amber is the, earliest and does Rot
make the yield that the others make,
although if il. is grown early it may, be
cut for nay twice during the season.
The sumac, honey and Texas seeded
ribbon are all later maturing and are
usually used for syrup and where
large yields of forage or silage Is
wanted. Texas seeded ribbon is es-
pecially priced for the large amount
of syrup that it produces.
The method of planting varies with
the use to which these sorghums are
to be put For syrup the planting is
done in rows Sc to AZ inches apart,
using six to eight pounds OF seed to
the acre. The worst objection to
sorghum for hay is the fact that it Is
hard to cure, and that the stems are
coarse. This difficulty can be elimf'
mated to some extent by seeding
thickly or broadcasting about bushel
of seed to the acre. Careful tests in
Kansas showed that an acre OF sor'
ghum put up as silage made more
gains with beef animals than an acre
Of corn used as silage.
Sudan grass. which has been intro
duced within the last few years, and
Johnson grass are very closely relat-
ed. They will mix with each other
and with the other sorghums. john
son grass has large underground stems
which enables it to spread and become
in, II.
dan grass has fbrous roots like wheat
or corn, lives for only one year and
cannot become pest. Sudan has
broader leaf than Johnson grass and
the plant is more coarse.
Sudan promises to be one of our
good hay crops. It makes three or
four cuttings during the season and
if the harvesting Is done just as the
crop is heading out it makes splen-
did feed, although not so rich in mus
Gle making as cowpeas or clover.
About 20 pounds of seed per acre
broadcast, or to 5 pounds of seed
in rows 80 to 36 inches wide, has been
found to be the best amount.
Because of its persistent habit it is
seldom advisable to seed Johnson
grass on clean soil, but on lands that
have already become infested it can
be made most profitable crop. On
strong soils the three or four yearly
cuttings will make as much feed as
any other crop.
Kafir, milo, feterita and shallu are
all grown in small way for grain
and for forage although they are not
very satisfactory, especially in the
more humid sections of the state
Many fields fail to make seed due to
condition commonly known as blight
which is caused by small nudge nc
insect which lays its egg in the
flower just as it opens. The egg
matches into a miniature worm which
prevents the seed from forming
Birds also do a great deal OF damage
by picking out the seed. AS forage
crop this group is generally inferior
to the sweet sorghums. Feterita is
earlier than Kafr or milo and does
not make so much forage although If
plduleu early IL may MAKE SCCU WucH
the others fair. Shallu, also known
as Egyptian wheat, is inferior in guam
tity and quality of forage and in the
amount of grain, although the
sprangled head generally causes an
estimation of the yield to be too high.
The following Farmers Bulletins
|; should be Arsad: 5 "Gorghum' Syrup
Mahjtfetife,SS No. AT; Better Grain
SprsMlmx Crops" No. AS; "Kafir as a
: Grazing Csop. No. 552 uses of Sor-
gum Grain. "gNo. 6Ss; Broom Corn, -
o.a17z; "SHdan, Grass as q Forage
Chop" Nc.S6o5; S"saccharine sorshsMs
. fnrsForase," No. 246.