126 FORAGE CROPS 



approach maturity, makes the forage sweet and 

 encourages the animals to consume the coarser 

 materials more readily than is the case with the 

 millets or kafir corn, or even maize (except the 

 sweet varieties) . 



Sorghum is not well suited for hay, although it 

 can be used for the purpose if cut early. It can 

 be used for silage with advantage. It can also 

 be harvested and allowed to dry, and the seed 

 threshed; the dry stalks are then practically as 

 useful as corn-stalks, and the seed can be ground 

 into a feed which is similar to corn- meal in its 

 composition and feeding value. 



Composition and Yield of Nutrients of Sorghum Forage 



Early Orange Early Amber One ton ^" rlv^ieM 



sugar-cane sugar-cane contains furnishes 



Per cent Per cent Lbs. Lbs. 



Water 83.19 85.19 



Dry matter 16.81 14.81 3:56. 2 3362.0 



Ether extract 0.57 0.51 11.4 114.0 



Fiber 5.51 3.96 110.2 1102.0 



Protein 1.70 1.36 34.0 340.0 



Ash 1.49 1.20 29.8 298.0 



Nitrogen-free extract . . 7.54 7.78 150.8 1508.0 



SORGHUM IN DRY REGIONS 



Sweet sorghum is well adapted to the special 

 climatic conditions of the semi -arid regions, 

 although it is generally used in the eastern and 

 southern states for green forage. The remainder 



