Sorghum Culture. 23 



duced by excess of moisture is to plant only on rolling or well drained 

 land. With regard to the richness of the ground, it is not believed that 

 with proper drainage there would be any difficulty from it, no matter how 

 rich, but it would be well to plant with reference to the quality of soil, and 

 allow as much cane to grow as it will properly sustain without suckering, 

 so that the capacity of the soil may be fully employed in developing the true 

 growth. By these means it is believed^-that suckers may be entirely pre- 

 vented and the crop of cane improved/ 



TIME FOR HARVESTING, 



As to the best time for harvesting Sorghum there is difference of opinion, 

 some claiming that for syrup it is best to cut when the seed is in the dough, 

 and others that it should be cut when the seed has passed through the dough 

 state. Dr. Collier, in his book on Sorghum, discusses the subject at length, 

 and after giving the results of numerous experiments, carefully made under 

 his own direction when Chemist of the Department of Agriculture, gives his 

 conclusion as follows : 



' ' Owing to the fact that the amount of syrup which may be produced 

 from a juice depends upon the sura of the sucrose and glucose, it is obvious 

 that syrup may be produced from the canes in any condition of maturity ; 

 but even for syrup production, experiments have demonstrated that the maxi-. 

 miim of syrup may be produced at the same period when the Sorghum may 

 be most profitably worked for sugar, since at that time the sum of the two 

 sugars is also at its maximum. For the production, then, of either sugar or 

 syrup, it is desirable that only such varieties should be grown in any locality 

 as may be able to reach full maturity. " 



We give below the opinions of some of the most experienced cane- 

 growers : 



' ■ "Cane should be cut when the majority of seeds have acquired a ma- 

 turity corresponding to that of wheat when it is considered ripe enough 

 to cut." 



" The best time to cut cane is when the seed begins to harden, just after 

 passing through the dough state." 



"The cane should be cut when the seed is in the dough state and before; 

 it has become hard." 



"The cane may be regarded as fit to cut when the seed heads have be- 

 come brown. There is little doubt that the crop improves in value until the 

 seed is pretty fully matured." 



' • Cane should be cut when the seed is in the dough. If wanted for im 

 mediate use it may be stripped on the hill ; but it should be cut immediately 

 after stripping; for if left to stand after stripping it will loose in saccharine 

 properties. Where a severe frost is threatened the cane should be cut 

 without stripping and laid in windrows or piles." 



