452 the farmers' handbook. 



Where farmyard manure is available, it can be applied broadcast at the 

 rare of 10 tons per acre, and lightly harrowed in. 



Green manuring is not .sufficient in itself to maintain the fertility of the 

 land ; neither is farmyard manure. Artificial manures are also required to 

 make up the deficiencies. As the result of many experiments with fertilisers 

 for sorghum on the North Coast, an application of - cut superphosphate 

 per acre is recommended where farmyard manure has been applied, or where 

 green manuring has been practised. Where tin- sod is deficient in decaying 

 organic matter, and consequently in nitrogen. \ cwr fulphate of ammonia or 

 nitrate of soda, should be added to this superphosphate. 



On the South Coast and .Southern Tablelands where the yields of fodder 

 are lower than on the North Coast, from 1 to 1 A cwt. superphosphate per 

 acre is recommended. 



The manuring depends very largely upon the nature of the soil. On light 

 sandy soils more potash, and possibly more of the nitrogeuous manure, are 

 required, while on good clay soils less potash may lie used. Superphosphate, 

 or some other form of phosphatic manure, nearly always gives good results 

 on all classes of soils, and should not be omitted. 



Superphosphate is particularly valuable in promoting vigorous development 

 of the young growth, especially in the early spring and in cold climates where 

 young sorghum plants are apt to grow slowly, and become choked by weed 

 growth, if they have not the stimulation that is given by this fertiliser. 



The artificial manures should always be sown with the seed by using a 

 fertiliser attachment on the drill. If the seed is sown by hand in drills, the 

 manure should be scattered along them first. As good results cannot be 

 expected from manure sown broadcast, as are obtained, when it and the seed 

 are put in it together with a drill. The manure is then placed in such 

 a position that it can be utilised immediately by the young plants, and fulfils 

 one of its functions by inducing a vigorous healthy start. 



Sowing. 



Experiments and a study of climatic conditions have shown that the best 

 results are obtained by drilling, and broadcast sowing is not advocated. 

 Broadcasting may give good results under ideal conditions, but if the soil is 

 inclined to be at all rough, an uneven or poor germination results. Again, if 

 the soil is inclined to be weedy, cultivation cannot be carried out on the 

 young crop to suppress the weeds ; whereas, when drilling is followed, 

 cultivation can be carried out between the rows whilst the crop is growing, 

 thus materially assisting growth by checking the loss of moisture from 

 evaporation. The difference effected is often the difference between success 

 and failure. AY hen drilling is followed, a more even germination can be 

 obtained if the surface of the ground is dry, as the seed can be placed in 

 moist soil. In one experiment conducted at the Hawkesbury Agricultural 

 College broadcasted seed entirely failed to germinate owing to a dry surface, 

 while drilled seed on the same block germinated perfectly. 



In drilling, two methods are followed. The seed is either sown on the flat 

 — that is, no furrow is opened out, or a furrow is made about i inches deep, 

 and the seed sown at the bottom with a corn-dropper tit ted with a seed-plate 

 of the proper size. The furrow is made by using a special plough fitted with 

 a mouldboard to throw a furrow to each side, or bv an ordinary plough with 

 a fairly lon« low mouldboard. The furrow method is the better where the 



