232 FIELD CROP PRODUCTION 



may be removed before the plants are cut by cutting the 

 heads and stripping the leaves from the standing stalks, 

 or they may be removed after cutting. The juice is then 

 pressed from the stalks by running them between heavy 

 rollers. The juice is collected and reduced to the desired 

 consistency by evaporation over steam. The yield of 

 sirup varies from 70 to 300 gallons per acre, the average 

 being about 125 gallons. 



231. Harvesting for forage. When grown for forage, 

 the crop may either be cut and fed green, or made into 

 hay. When used for soiling, it may be cut as needed 

 from the time the heads appear, until it is ripe. When 

 cut for hay, more palatable forage and greater feeding 

 value per acre will be secured if the crop is cut when the 

 grains are in the late milk stage. The feeding value of the 

 hay decreases from this time until maturity. The best 

 quality of hay is secured when the hay is cured in small 

 cocks or windrows, which practice prevents the leaves 

 from becoming sunburned. Considerable time is required 

 for curing sorghum hay on account of the large amount 

 of juice in the stems. Sometimes the crop may best be 

 cut with a corn binder and the bundles set up in shocks 

 to cure. This method facilitates handling and also pro- 

 motes excellent conditions for curing while in the shock. 

 Sorghum hay is of good quality and is relished by almost 

 all kinds of stock. The yield varies from 2 to 10 tons 

 per acre. 



THE NONSACCHARINE SORGHUMS 



232. Description. The common nonsaccharine sor- 

 ghums may usually be distinguished from the sweet sor- 

 ghums by their shorter and more stocky stems, which 

 usually contain little sap, although in some varieties the 

 stems are rather juicy but scarcely sweet. The non- 



