386 FIELD CROPS FOR THE COTTON-BELT 



planting plates are modified for planting sorghum by fill- 

 ing the holes with lead and bocing them out to the proper 

 size. In all except the semi-arid region of the cotton-belt 

 surface planting is recommended. The two-row corn 

 planter is largely used for this purpose. In the drier 

 sections of Texas and Oklahoma the seed is often planted 

 in a lister furrow. 



479. Cultivation. — The cultivation of sorghum is 

 much'the same as for corn. As a rule the weeder or harrow 

 should be used until the plants are large enough to permit 

 the use of any of the common types of cultivators. At 

 least one light harrowing should be given before the plants 

 are up and another when they are large enough to escape 

 injury. Tillage by separate rows should continue until 

 the plants have almost reached the heading stage. 



480. Harvesting. — When grown for sirup, sorghum 

 should be harvested when the seed have reached the hard 

 dough stage. The crop increases rapidly in total weight un- 

 til maturity. The sugar content also increases rapidly from 

 the time the panicles appear until maturity as shown below: 



Table 37. Sugar Content op Sorghum at Different Stages 

 OF Growth ' 



' U. S. Dep't of Agr. Farmers' Bui., 477, p. 12 (average of 2740 

 analyses). 



