110 SORGHUM. 



Time for Planting. 



The time for planting will, of course, depend upon the locality. 

 The main thing desired, is that an even, uniform stand shall be se- 

 cured at the first planting, free from weeds as possible. 



Since the weeds and foul seeds are always ready to start so soon as 

 the warmth is sufficient for germination, it is well to defer planting until 

 the growth, fairly begun, shall be stopped by the cultivator and har- 

 Yow, and the weeds destroyed. 



By so doing the ground is made warm as well as clean. Nothing 

 is gained, and there is great risk, in planting too early. As a rule, the 

 planting is to be done only at the time when the gi'ound is so warm 

 and moist that the germination of the seeds shall proceed at once with- 

 out interruption. If planted at such time, the plants will make their 

 appearance within three or four days. 



The testimony is almost universal, that the latest planting has se- 

 cured the best crop, and required the least care in its production. 



By late planting, the crop has a better chance with the weeds, and 



by proper cultivation for the first month, will quite overshadow and 



destroy them. 



Amount of Seed for Planting. 



The number of seed, of course, varies with the kind, and with the 

 different lots of the same variety, but averages about 25,000 to the 

 pound. 



Professor Henry found 27,680 seed of the Early Amber; and I found 

 in one specimen from Virginia, 19,000 ; and in another from Minne- 

 sota, 31,800 seed to the pound. Owing to the extreme importance of 

 securing a good stand of cane at first planting, it is always best to 

 plant two or three times as much seed as Avill be necessary in case it 

 all grows. By this means, of course, in most cases, it will be neces- 

 sary to thin out the plants, which involves little work, as it may be 

 speedily effected by the hoe, so soon as the cane is about five or six 

 inches high. In the event of failure more or less complete to secure a 

 good stand, the choice is presented of either replanting the whole, if 

 there remains time, or to make the best of such as may have started. 

 In this latter case most persons will be greatly surprised to find how 

 large the crop is at the harvest. In any event, do not plant in tlie 

 vacant spaces of the field, unless the object is only the production of 

 syrup from the crop. For sugar, this second planting would practi- 

 cally be w'orse than useless. 



Two quarts of seed, if fairly distributed, would be quite enough ta 

 the acre ; and if all the seed was good, there would be need even then 

 of thinning out the crop: but, as equal distribution of so small an 



