190 Feeds and Feeding. 



agriculture of this district, furnisliing green forage to stock dur- 

 ing shortage of pastures in summer and fall, and the best of dry 

 fodder in winter. (194) 



275. Dangers from second-growth sorghum. — The agricultural 



press reports cattle dying suddenly after eating very small quanti- 

 ties of second-growth sorghum. Coburni quotes Pritchard, the 

 Kansas state veterinarian, as saying: " Second -growth sorghum 

 under certain conditions is very destructive indeed to cattle, small 

 quantities killing them almost instantly. . . Just what this 

 destructive agent is I am unable to say." In the same report ref- 

 erence is made to Kaffir corn causing the same trouble. Tracy* 

 reports that second-growth " chicken com," a variety of sorghum 

 found in the Gulf states, when eaten by cattle, sometimes pro- 

 duces fatal results within a few minutes. He says: "It seems 

 to affect only certain animals, or perhaps only certain plants 

 produce the ill effects, as generally only a few animals in a herd 

 are killed, and these are commonly found near together." No 

 one knows why second-growth sorghum should cause trouble in 

 the way noted, and no remedy is known. Prevention is the onlj 

 means at hand. 



276. Sorghum hay. — In the semi-arid region of the Southwest 

 the sorghum plant possesses many advantages for producing a 

 coarse hay of high feeding value. In parts of Kansas and Texas, 

 stockmen plant the seed by means of grain drUls; at other timet 

 it is sown broadcast. Sorghuui may also be planted in wide drUls 

 and cultivated like corn. This giant grass, when sown broadcast 

 is cut with a mower, and after partially drying is gathered int<,' 

 windrows, and finally into bunches of considerable size, where it 

 remains until required for feeding, or the bunches are gathered 

 into stacks. 



When planted in drills, sorghum should be harvested in shocks, 

 as is common with Indian corn. The stems of the saccharine 

 sorghums are rich in sugar and are eagerly consumed by farm 

 stock in winter. The leaves of all varieties of sorghum form a 

 bright, palatable, nutritious hay, free from dust and very useful 



»Eept. K:m.'Bd. Agr., Sept. 1894. 

 2 Bui. 20, Miss. Expt. Sta. 



