394 THE CEREALS IN AMERICA 



varies in weight from 300 to 400 pounds, averaging about 340 pounds. The brush 

 is sorted at any convenient stage of the process. The most crooked brush can best 

 be discarded in the field, while final sorting may be made just before baling. The 

 production of broom com is best engaged in by those who make it a specialty after 

 having studied the business carefully in all its details. 



IV. USE AND PRODUCTION. 



559. Use. — ^As a food for horses, cattle and swine, sorghum 

 seed is not considered the equivalent of maize. It is less pala- 

 table and cannot successfully enter so exclusively or so contin- 

 uously into their diet. On account of their more highly carbo- 

 naceous character large quantities of leguminous foods should 

 be fed. The seeds are somewhat astringent, especially in the 

 red Kafir variety, and when fed in large quantities cause consti- 

 pation. As a food for poultry it is highly prized. As a food for 

 calves raised on skim milk it is highly commended both because 

 of its high proportion of carbonaceous material and because of 

 its tendency to overcome scouring.^ After a number of feeding 

 trials, the Kansas Station concludes that the best way to feed 

 the grain to fattening hogs is to place it unground into the 

 feeding troughs and to pour over it sufficient water so that a 

 small quantity will be left after the hogs have finished eating 

 the grain. The purpose of the water is to lay the dust which, 

 when the grain is fed dry, causes the hogs to cough severely. 

 For cattle and horses the grain is usually ground, but whether 

 grinding is best has not been experimentally determined. 

 Large quantities of sorghum are raised for the fodder, handled 

 after the manner ot maize fodder, or sown thicker and cut less 

 mature as hay. It is also used for soiling, for which it is highly 

 prized, for silage and for pasture. While large quantities of 

 the nonsaccharine sorghum are used for this purpose, sweet 

 sorghum is recommended as preferable. In the Southern States, 

 where sorghum is sown as a hay crop, sometimes two and even 

 three crops are harvested in one season ; the plant, when cut 



I Kan. Bui. 33, p. 40. 



