318 CHAPTER XIX 



SUNFLOWER (Helianthus annus). 



This is a summer annual, grown chiefly for the seed, 

 which is used for feeding to poultry and for the oil contained, 

 .and to a limited extent for silage. It is a native of North 

 America. 



Varieties. — (1) Common. — Heads 8 to 16 inches in dia- 

 meter, seed grey, brown or striped. 



(2) Mammoth or Giant Russian. — Heads 15 to 20 inches 

 in diamete, seeds about half an inch long, with black or 

 brownish stripes, though sometimes they are all white. Con- 

 sidered one of the best varieties for oil-production. 



(3) Black Giant. — Produces heads 16 to 22 inches in dia- 

 meter, with black seeds fin. in length. 



Soil and Climate. — Its soil requirements are very similar 

 to those suited for maize. It is considered to be a heavy 

 feeder and exhaustive on soils. It requires plenty of sun- 

 shine, and is more resistant to drought, alkali and frost, than 

 maize. 



Cultural Methods. — The land should be prepared as for 

 maize. Plant the seeds 1 to 3 inches deep in rows 3 feet to 

 "3 feet 6 inches, and 18 to 24 inches apart in the rows ; eight 

 to fifteen pounds of seed are required per acre. It is best to 

 sow thickly and then to thin out when the plants are about 

 six inches high; this is, however, only practicable where 

 labour is cheap and plentiful. It has a tendency to branch, 

 and if large heads are to be produced, all lateral branches 

 should be cut off ; this should be done when the plants are 

 about three feet in height. 



The plants require a long growing season, and should be 

 planted in November, except in the Low veld, where seed 

 could go in as late as December. 



Harvesting. — The heads should be harvested before 

 they are fully matured. This prevents loss through shatter- 

 ing or from birds. If the crop is small, the heads may be 

 harvested as they ripen. They are then dried as quickly as 

 possible in the sun and threshed. Threshing is often done by 

 flail, but where large amounts are handled the ordinary maize 

 thresher, suitably adjusted, can be successful/ly employed. 

 Small meshed wire netting, suitably stretched on a frame, 

 and the heads rubbed over this, will often prove serviceable. 



