244 SOUTHERN FIELD CROPS 



The seed should be planted in well-prepared land in 

 rows about Z\ feet apart, one plant standing every 3 or 4 

 inches on rich land or at double this distance on poor land. 

 Cultivation is somewhat more conveniently performed if 

 the plants are left, 3 to 6 in a hill, at distances of about 

 16 inches apart for standard kinds, or at shorter intervals 

 for dwarf varieties. 



For planting on a seed-bed in perfect condition with the 

 expectation of not thinning the plants, 2 quarts of good 

 seed is sufficient for an acre. With land less perfectly pre- 

 pared or where thinning is necessary, at least double this 

 amount of seed is sometimes used. 



Tillage is similar to that given to corn, or to sorghum 

 grown for sirup. 



227. Harvesting and preparation for market. — Har- 

 vesting of the brush occurs before the seeds form; that 

 is, when the anthers are falling. The heads of the dwarf 

 plants are pulled instead of being cut. Standard vari- 

 eties must first be bent down or " tabled." This is 

 done by bending down, about 3 feet above the ground, 

 the stalks on two rows. These bent plants are brought 

 together diagonally in a horizontal position, the brush 

 of one row extending beyond the upright portion of 

 the stalks on the adjacent row. The brush is then 

 cut with a sharp knife at a distance of about 8 inches 

 below the head. It is laid, for partial drying, on 

 the tables made by the bending together of two rows 

 of stalks. 



After sorting the heads to separate all crooked and un- 

 marketable brush, the immature seeds are removed by 

 scraping or threshing on a special kind of thresher, the 



