SORGHUM EXPERIMENTS ON THE GREAT PLAINS. 13 
The forage yields of different varieties are made comparable by 
taking 7-pound or 8-pound representative samples at the time the 
field weights are secured and drying these samples under an open 
shed. It has been found advisable to split the sorghum stalks longi- 
tudinally or, better still, to run them through a small silage cutter, 
so that the sample will dry out uniformly and quickly. The field 
weights are then reduced according to the percentage of moisture 
lost by the sample. This method makes it practicable to take the 
field weights ,at any time the plat is cut. The forage yields for 
Woodward, Lawton, Dalhart, Big Spring, and Tucumcari are of 
field-cured material, the weights usually being taken at threshing 
time. 
The yields of seed have been obtained in most cases, because the 
forage value, especially of the grain sorghums, is enhanced by a 
high yield of seed. These yields are given both in pounds and 
bushels, for the reason that many investigators prefer the yield 
stated in pounds, while to the general reader comparisons are more 
easily made when the seed yields are given in bushels. In order that 
the bushel yields may be comparable, all are given on the basis of 
56 pounds to the bushel regardless of whether the variety is a sorgo 
or a grain sorghum. 
VARIETAL EXPERIMENTS. 
Data are presented only on those features of the experiments 
which are known to affect directly the yields of fodder and seed, 
and are arranged by stations, so that a comparison is readily made 
of any given variety with other varieties adapted to that locality. 
In very few instances has the same serial number (the same strain) 
been used for a variety throughout all the years. The practice has 
been to include in the test of a variety the most productive strain 
obtainable. This has resulted in many substitutions, because field 
selection of improved strains was in progress with practically all the 
varieties throughout the entire period covered by the experiments. 
Many of the varieties are of only local importance; for example, 
at Hays, Kans., the Black Dwarf, Cole's Evergreen, Husser, Sudan 
corn, Early Buff durra, etc., were tested. Such varieties have been 
included in order that a statement of their performance and rela- 
tionship to other varieties may be placed on record. This practice 
has been followed also at Chillicothe and Amarilio, Tex. 
HAYS, KANS.5 
The forage-crop experiments are conducted at the Fort Hays 
Experiment Station, 1 mile south of Hays, Kans., under a cooperative 
agreement with the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station. The 
work was begun in 1913, but sorghums were practically a failure 
that year and the experiments were not fully outlined, so the results 
presented here cover only the period from 1914 to 1921. Reference 
to the climatic data in Table 1 shows that the average rainfall for 
this period was slightly below normal. The distribution of this 
rainfall, however, in most of the eight years was rather favorab)e 
for sorghum, so that the yields are very nearly what might be expected 
at Hays during an}' period of equal length. 
5 R. E. Getty has been in direct charg? of the experiments at Hays. 
