VALUE AS A FORAGE CROP. 59 
RATTOONING. 
In speaking of rattooning, we have touched upon a 
property of the sorgho, which materially distinguishes 
it from corn fodder, and shows its superiority. The 
life-principle of the sorgho is so active, that if the plants 
be cut down when they are either small or large, and 
the stubble is suffered to remain undisturbed, there will 
immediately spring up from the old stocks a new set of 
canes, or rattoons, and if the season be long enough, the 
new plants will, like their predecessors, run through all 
the phases of growth, and bear and ripen seed. 
CUTTING FODDER. 
Hence, when cultivated for fodder, the crop should be 
mowed down as soon as it is large enoweh to feed to 
stock ; and according to the length of the season, two, 
three, four, and even five crops can be obtained. Mr. D. 
Jay Browne speaks of having known of five cuttings for 
fodder, in Florida, last year; the last crop perfecting tts seed. 
M. Ch. d’Ivernois says, in a letter addressed to the 
President of the Imperial Zodlogical Acclimation Society, 
that the result of his extended experiments satisfies him 
that the sorgho is a plant of immense value. He has 
taken at Hyéres, during the last season, five abundant 
cuttings on a soil light and fertile, but not capable of 
being irrigated, and upon which he claims that scarce 
any other forage crop would have given a result at 
ull analogous. ‘The fodder was greedily eaten by all his 
cattle. He thinks that the sorgho will be an acquisition 
of surprising value as a fodder crop for the district of 
