The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1918-06-27
FORAGE CROPS

neck or sugar-drip sorghum after the
grain crops are harvested. This is |
best accomplished by preparing |
lands as for cotton, with rows three
feet apart to provide for shocking iri |
October.
Thoroughly prepare stubble lands !
by first disking the fields well, then
break to the subsoil and harrow sew
eral times that the grain stubble may
be thoroughly mixed with the soil to
insure firm seed bed, lay off rows
and apply 800 to 400 pounds of cot
ton seedsmeal and acid phosphate, or
some high grade fertilizer, analysing
at least as much meal and acid mix
ed half and half, in the burrows,
then run scooter or bull tongue
plow in the furrow to mix the fer
tilizer with the soil and bed out as
for cotton. The beds should be
thrown as high as possible and
then narrowed off across the beds with
smoothing harrow for the purpose of
cleaning the beds of rubbish and set
tling them for planting. Open with
drill plow about two inches deep and
sow about three-fourths of peck of
seed per acre covering with board in
the absence of planter; then if pos
sible run roller over the beds to
press the soil firmly around the seed
to hasten termination.
Planting should be done from the
first to the tenth of July in the Pied
mont counties, and up to the goth of
July in the coast counties. Cultivation
should be commenced as soon as cane
is up to good stand and continued
until the cane has reached height
OF two feet or more when the crop
can be laid by. Should the stand ap
pear too thick in the drills thin to a
distance of six inches or hoe chop
apart. The idea it to grow stalk
that will have a diamter the size of
broom handle, or at least an inch
IN thickness for the purpose of re-
tanning all the sap possible during
the time the cane is shocked. About
the first of October seed Abruzzi rye
oats, wheat, vetch or clovers in the
mlddles that the crop may be turned
IN the following spring to enrich the
soil; then about the middle Of tbe
month up to the Goth shocking should
commence before frosts fall on tho
cane; yet light frosts will not serious
~ inJure the plants. To shock to
pest advantage gather one or moro
stalks on one row and bending them
aiagonally across and tying together
with stalks from the other row. and
tnen repeat this, making an arch over
'ne middle or water furrow. To ex-
plain more thoroughly gather ono or
more stalks on first base and third
base and then one or moro ovor SOY
ond and the home plate and tie these
together over the pitchers stand. Cut
out the intervening stalks and the
rack is ready for the cane. Tho c,no
Shouid be cut to a fairly tall stubbla
thae the soils may not be robbed of
100 much plant food; and the follow.
ing spring this stubble with the cron
Ero"ng between the rows should he
uisked and turned back into the soils
several hundred stalks should ba
placed in each shock, MAKING tho bo.o
OF the shocks ten to fifteen feet in
circumference, with the stalks nress-
ed closely together to prevent roin
from entering the shocks. Rindor
IWine should be used to tie tho to,,
- 'ne shocks around securely, and
sou should be mounted around tho
oase OF the shocks to prevent drvinr
out' Farmers having plenty of house
room can cut the cane with nouo
ana pack it away in the bouses on
end up against the walls. and - nil,
Keep almost perfectly green durinn
the winter months and often un+ii
March or the following April. Never
aiiow sorghum to fall down on ua
.'oor Tor the crop will heat and snail
IN few days. After the cono r..
s'ood IN the field until the fodder is
.uhy ary one or more loads NAV bo
hauied in and piled on the foors ~
under shed without danger -
s9o'iing at all. Remember hi. thot
WIZ flOC remain
lent during the winter, but will d.,,
oue IN month or more: 90 tbot -
p'anting time don't use amber
nnioer cane is best sown broadc,et
'"o or three bushels per aero ~
very fertile soils and harvested ,,;,n ~,
D'nder into bundles as grain thns
making excellent roughage '
10 iced shocked sorghum is will bo
necessary to run the stalks tbronoh
ieed cutter, cutting into ouorter
ho s"'" length or less. Dry cattle can
s wen Kept on an abundance Of sor
n""n ' aiohe, but dairy cattle should
cane. WIN the
Farmers who are accustomed o.
ouying cotton seed hulls will find aa, 70
great money saver, and n faoI "e t
superior in nutritive value aool 1"I
acre OF sorghum cane sbopld nno5 soou