338 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



the drier districts. The seed is cheaper in tliat country than it is 

 here. AVhen all the coulters of the ordinary wheat seed drill are 

 being used, it would take from 1 to l^lbs. of good seed per coulter 

 per acre, which is rather much. 



In some countries the stock are turned into sorghum when it is not 

 more than 18 inches high. There is no doubt but that the stock do 

 not like this fodder at first and must be encouraged to make a start on 

 it, hence the value of a small area of maize to start oii. There 

 is still much room for experiment in regard to the feeding capa- 

 bilities of this forage when young. When cut or eaten down it 

 springs up afresh, and in that respect also is much more hardy than 

 maize. 



It has been repeatedly pointed out that stock should not be turned 

 into sorghum when hungry, or when the system is charged with 

 compact masses of dry feed. A little of the green fodder should be 

 cut and given to the cows, and if chaffed or mixed witli a little 

 ordinary wheaten or oaten chaff, they will be more inclined to take 

 to it. There are other ways in which the same object may be accom- 

 plished. This season there have been several instances where farmers 

 have lost stock by not attending to the above. 



Broom corn is one of the varieties of sorghum that lias been 

 developed owing to the use made of its seed panicle in the making of 

 ordinary American brooms. It is. a useful fodder plant also and has 

 a light coloured foliage that stock like. It is early, and is useful on 

 that account to grow some for an early bite ff)r cattle. There are 

 some objections to cattle and horses grazing on sorghum, as they 

 trample down soil and otherwise waste a good deal of the crop, still 

 where labour is scarce and dear this has to be put up with. Kaffir 

 .corn, Dhoura, Jerusalem, and Egyptian corn are varieties of non- 

 saccharine sorghums having dense panicles of seed on short stalks. 

 The seeds are somewhat ovate, and frequently slightly comjjressed 

 laterally ; they vary in colour from white to brown or partly of both 

 colours. Parrots are a pest where these plants grow, and cause much 

 loss of seed. 



The principal saccharine or sugar producing sorghums grown are 

 the varieties of amber cane, and these are much better known in Vic- 

 toria than any of the others. Imphee, or Planters' Friend, is a late 

 variety of sorghum. It does not grow as high as some, but is very 

 leafy, and is more suitable for late autumn or early winter use. 



Teosinte has a good reputation in some places, but it is an absolute 

 failure here. It is sometimes classed as a sorghum of the non- 

 saccharine division, and has been tried here for the last fifteen years 

 without once growing 2 feet high. 



Millets. 



These are usually classified for agricultural purposes according to 

 the shape of the seed panicle of certain well-known varieties. Thus the 

 foxtail millets have for their type the well-known Hungarian millet. 



