82 BULLETIN 1260, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
indicated in the table. In 1920 the first seeding was made on May 3 
and the second on May 19: in 1921 the seedings were made May 16 
and June 20. and in 1922 on May 12 and June 15. The average 
percentage of germination of the seed for the three years was, for the 
Dwarf kafir. 94.7: Sumac sorgo, 96.3; and Orange sorgo, 93.5. The 
results of this test, which are given in Table 25. are fairly consistent 
for all the varieties. 
Table 25. — Row space obtained with three varieties of sorghum when approximately 
1.2,3, and 4- pounds of seed per acre were drilled with a corn planter adjusted as 
indicated, at Chillicothe, Tex., in 1920, 1921, and 1922. 
Holes in the planter plate. 
Variety 
Num- 
ber. 
Diameter 
(.inches;. 
Dwarf kafir. 
Sumac sorso. 
Orange sorgo. 
Three-sixteenths. 
do 
do 
. — .do 
.do. 
.do 
:do. 
.do- 
Gear 
speed. 1 
Fast . 
Slow. 
Fast. 
...do- 
Slow. 
...do- 
Fast. 
...do.. 
do 
do 
One-fourth. 
do 
..do.. 
..do. 
Slow . 
..do- 
Seed per 
acre 
(pounds) 
Actual row space per plant 
I inches) . 
1920 1921 1922 X JJ*~ 
age. 
1.094 10.13 19.22 30.93 20.09 
1. 563 10. 94 7.20 , 9. 23 9. 12 
2.031 i 4.81 . 6.98 ' 15.90 9.23 
2.813 ! 5.22 4.41 ' 10.42 6.68 
Theo 
retical 
average 
row 
space 
(inches). 
1.250 
2.266 
3.047 
4.219 
7.84 10.03 14.40 10.76 
4. 41 6. 19 16. 43 9. 01 
4.71 5.25 8.59 6.18 
2. 60 3. 10 8. 72 4. 81 
.860 11.75 12.63 . 19.89 14.76 
2.476 5.47 .",03 10.56 7.02 
3.380 3.79 4.06 9.51 5.79 
5.000 2.78 3.08 7.42 4.43 
12.61 
6.79 
4.91 
3.83 
2.85 
2.06 
16.59 
5. 77 
4. 22 
2.85 
1 At the fast-gear speed the plate makes one complete revolution to each revolution of the wheels. At 
the slow-gear speed the plate makes only three-fourths of a revolution to each revolution of the wheels. 
- The theoretical average row space per plant is calculated on the assumption that the germination in 
the field should be 50 per cent of the laboratory germination for these varieties. 
At Chillicothe, Tex., during the three years. 1920 to 1922, 3 pounds 
of Dwarf kafir seed drilled in well-prepared soil with an ordinary 
corn planter resulted in an average row space of about 7 inches per 
plant rather than 5 inches, and 2 pounds of seed resulted in 9 inches 
of row space rather than 7 inches. 
Sumac sorgo seed drilled in the same way at 4 pounds per acre 
resulted in a 5-inch average row space rather than 2 inches: at 3 
pounds per acre. 6 inches rather than 3 inches. Lesser quantities of 
seed gave about the same actual results as compared with the theo- 
retical. 
With Orange sorgo seed the results were about the same as for 
Sumac sorgo and Dwarf kafir. With only one exception the stand 
obtained was thinner than the expected stand, even when the field 
germination was computed at 50 per cent of the laboratory 
germination. 
Summary of Information on Rate of Seeding in Rows. 
In all the experiments at Hays, Kans.. and Chillicothe and Amarillo. 
Tex., it is apparent that the total crop or forage yield is slightly 
larger the closer the spacing within the limits tested. In some 
seasons, however, when there was a severe drought, the thickest rates 
were injured more than the thin rates, with a consequent lowering o( 
the quality of the fodder. For grain production the intermediate 
rate-, with 8 to 12 inches of row space, gave the best quality pi seed, 
