268 FORAGE PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE 



even if the yield be somewhat reduced, and the plants 

 coarser. 



If the rows be 3 feet wide and the plants 1 inch apart 

 in the rows, an acre will contain 174,240 plants. Six 

 pounds of seed of a sweet sorghum would, therefore, be 

 sufficient if they all grow. Four to 6 pounds of seed to 

 the acre is, however, commonly used in the drier regions, 

 and in humid regions up to 8 to 10 pounds. 

 . In the semi-arid regions sorghums are usually planted 

 in furrows made with a lister, as this is believed to make 

 the plant more firmly rooted, especially as the later cul- 

 tivations throw the soil about the base of the stems. At 

 Chillicothe, Texas, however, flat planting gave better 

 yields in average seasons. 



318. Seeding broadcast. Where sorghum is sown 

 broadcast an average of about 40 pounds to the acre is 

 best. Such seedings are usually confined to the sweet 

 sorghums the seeds of which do not differ greatly in size 

 in the different varieties. This amount of seed if drilled 

 will sow 1 seed each inch in 7 inch drill rows. In drier 

 regions somewhat less seed is more desirable, but in the 

 humid regions 1 to 2 bushels is the usual rate of seeding. 



At the Iowa Experiment Station but slight differences 

 in yield were obtained when sown at the rates of 40, 80 and 

 100 pounds an acre, excepting that in the thicker seedings 

 the stalks were not as coarse. 



319. Number of cuttings. As a rule sorghum is cut 

 but once for fodder. This is all that is possible in the 

 Northern States or in the semi-arid regions on unirrigated 

 land. In the South, however, where the rainfall is ample 

 or where irrigation is available, two or three cuttings may 

 be secured in a season, new shoots developing from the 

 stubble. To secure a better second crop the rows or 



