126 FORAGE CROPS 
approach maturity, makes the forage sweet and 
encourages the animals to consume the coarser 
materials more readily than is the case with the 
millets or kafir corn, or even maize (except the 
sweet varieties). 
Sorghum is not well suited for hay, although it 
can be used for the purpose if cut early. It can 
be used for silage with advantage. It can also 
be harvested and allowed to dry, and the seed 
threshed; the dry stalks are then practically as 
useful as corn-stalks, and the seed can be ground 
into a feed which is similar to corn-meal in its 
composition and feeding value. 
COMPOSITION AND YIELD OF NUTRIENTS OF SORGHUM FoRAGE 
An average 
Early Orange Early Amber One ton acre-yield 
sugar-cane sugar-cane contains 
furnishes 
Per cent Per cent Lbs. Lbs. 
Water eae: Bas 2s i arc 83.19 85.19 rats ear se 
Dry matter... 2... 16.81 14.81 336.2 3362.0 
‘Ether extract ...... 0.57 0.51 11.4 114.0 
Biber os. ee: ere ey ee pS 5.51 3.96 110.2 1102.0 
Protein. «ss 6 @ & s =» 1,70 1.36 34.0 340.0 
ASH beg aa gos Be Ss 1.49 1.20 29.8 298.0 
Nitrogen-free extract .. 7.54 7.78 150.8 1508.0 
SORGHUM IN DRY REGIONS 
Sweet sorghum is well adapted to the special 
climatic conditions of the semi-arid regions, 
although it is generally used in the eastern and 
southern states for gieen forage. The remainder 
