Forage Crops For The Colorado Plains 
15 
A single Sudan Grass plant, 7 feet high, showing heavy stooling habit. 
Grass is not adapted to the higher altitudes next to the foothills nor 
in the Platte^Arkansas Divide, but is adapted to the rest of the Colo¬ 
rado Plains. 
Preparation of the Soil .—The soil for sorghum should be prepared 
the same as for corn. Owing to the fact that all of the sorghums are 
what might be termed hot weather crops they require a warm soil 
before it is safe to plant. This planting should follow corn planting, 
usually from the 15th to the 20th of May is a safe time. Planting may 
even be delayed until early in June. 
If seeded broadcast 20 to 30 pounds of Amber will make a thick 
enough stand. In most of the dry land regions, it will pay however, 
to plant the sorghums in rows so as to permit of cultivation. Six to 15 
pounds per acre in rows, according to width of rows, will be amply 
sufficient upon most soils. Sudan Grass is smaller seeded and con¬ 
sequently a fewer number of pounds will do. If planted in rows 3 to 6 
pounds will make a sufficiently heavy stand. If planted broadcast 10 
to 15 pounds is abundantly sufficient. 
Not Safe to Pasture .—Owing to the fact that the sorghums 
develop a poisonous principle which causes the liberation of hydro¬ 
cyanic acid, commonly called prussic acid, it is unsafe in dry land 
regions to pasture with livestock. This poisonous principle seemingly 
