CULTURAL METHODS FOR SORGHUMS 319 



and consequently more skill is required to clean out the 

 weeds. Young sorghum is tougher and less likely to break 

 than is young corn, which is an advantage, since it permits 

 of the use of such tools as harrows and weeders oftener and 

 longer than is the case with corn. With surface-planted 

 sorghums, by the proper use of harrows and weeder it is 

 often not necessary to give more than one thorough 

 cultivation with the shovel cultivator. 



With listed sorgum, the harrow and lister cultivators 

 should be used for the first cultivation. When the plants 



Fig. 113. — Field of White Kafir in shock. 



are 8 to 10 inches high a very thorough cultivation should 

 be made with the cultivator, to be followed later by such 

 shallow cultivation as is necessary to keep down weeds. 



248. Cutting. — When grown for grain the heads should 

 be fully ripe. If cut for silage, the seeds should be in the 

 soft dough stage, as the ripe seeds in silage are very likely 

 to pass through the animal without digestion. 



The corn-binder is the best and most economical 

 implement for harvesting on a large scale. With smaller 

 areas the sled cutter is used, or the crop is cut by hand. 



