THE NON-SACCHARINE SORGHUMS 397 



491. Culture of the grain-sorghums. — The seed-bed 

 for the grain-sorghums is prepared much as for corn. The 

 land is plowed in either fall or spring, fall plowing usually 

 being preferable. In sections subject to "soil blowing" 

 during the winter months, the fall-plowed land should 

 be left in a rough condition until early spring at which 

 time it should be harrowed and thoroughly prepared for 

 seeding. 



492. Time, rate, and method of seeding. — The grain- 

 sorghums are hot weather crops and should be planted 

 from two to four weeks after the usual date of planting 

 corn. In northwest Texas, seeding from April 15 to May 

 1st usually gives the most satisfactory yields of both grain 

 and forage, while seeding as late as the middle of Jime 

 is generally undesirable. 



Grain-sorghums are usually planted in rows 3 to 3J4 

 feet apart, with the plants from 3 to 10 inches apart in 

 the row. As a rule the durras are left a Uttle thicker in 

 the row than the kafirs. Common distances for durras 

 are from 4 to 8 inches in the row and for kafirs, 6 to 10 

 inches. As a result of a three years' test at Chillicothe, 

 Texas, the most satisfactory yields of both grain and 

 forage were secured from milo and k^ifir when planted 

 in rows 3 feet apart and with stalks every 4 inches in the 

 row.^ 



Ordinary com planting machinery is generally used for 

 planting these crops, the only change necessary being the 

 use of special sorghum plates. In regions of very low 

 rainfall listing generally gives better results than surface 

 planting. The latter' method is strongly recommended, 

 however, for all regions except those of very scanty rain- 

 fall. When the crop is listed extreme care should be 

 1 Texas Agr. Exp. Sta., Bui. 132, pp. 16-17. 



