112 



SOKGHUM. 



they are incliued to be long, spiudliug, and weak, -with low content 

 of sugar. It is very much to be desired that careful comparative ex- 

 periments shall be made, to determine the relative effects of open and 

 close planting, since a maximum weight of stalks per acre may be at the 

 expense of the possible amount of sugar, or even of syrup. Recent results 

 with maize give reason to believe, that, should the distance between 

 the drills or hills of sorghum be very much increased over that at present 

 given, the result would be found very satisfactory. 



Marking the land may be done after the rolling, \\ith an implement 

 consisting of a plank resting upon three or four short runners at least 

 3 inches wide, so as to give a good track fixed at the proper distances ; 

 and great care should be exercised to have the rows as straight as j>os- 

 sible, for the convenience of after cultivation. 



The planting may be done by hand, or with the planter. The one 

 horse "Keystone Planter" is reported by Pro fess(U' Henry, of Wiscon- 

 sin, to do perfect work, planting about an acre an hour, with the rows 

 fovu" feet apart, dropping the seed regularly every ten inches, and cov- 

 ering it half an inch, three-fourths, or an inch as may be desired, and 

 at an expense of not over 25 cents per acre for planting. The "Mound 

 City One Horse Corn Drill," and the " Union Planter," are also said 

 to give entire satisfaction. The price of the above planters is about 

 $18. In using them, it is necessary that the seed shall have been 



Plate XVI. 



carefully cleaned and free from hulls. The depth to which the seed 

 should be covered will depend much upon the soil and its conditions 

 of moisture and temperature. Unless the soil is very dry, a half inch 

 is the proper depth ; and deep planting should be carefully avoided. 



The light one horse planter is much to be preferred to the two horse, 

 especially if the ground l)y thorough preparation has been mellowed, 



