Forage Crops For The Colorado Plains 19 
stand in the field under ordinary conditions until the seed is practically 
ripe. If put into the silo earlier, they will not make as much feed and 
there is a tendency to the formation of a sour silage. 
In addition to being valuable for forage, the seed of the grain 
sorghums is valuable for feeding to all kinds of animals. It is possible 
to feed the seed of Amber Sorghum, but it is usually not advisable. 
The seed coat of Amber Sorghum is very hard and impervious to mois¬ 
ture. As a consequence Amber Sorghum seed is very much more 
difficult for the animals to eat than the seed of grain sorghums. 
Besides, the grain sorghums, where adapted, will produce a heavier 
amount of seed. 
Milo and Fetera, when mature, have rather woody stalks and do 
not make a good fodder. They make a good silage, however. For 
fodder purposes, Kafir is a much superior grain sorghum. If hay 
alone is desired, it is better to grow Sudan Grass or Amber Sorghum 
than any of the grain sorghum varieties. 
Harvesting for Seed .—When it is desired to harvest the grain or 
seed of the grain sorghums, it is best to allow the crop to get ripe, then, 
if possible, to cut with a binder and shock. 
For feeding purposes the fodder having the ripe seed can be run 
thru a thrashing machine as soon as the stalks are well cured. Where 
the seed is to be used for seed, the heads should be picked out and 
stored under cover. Any of the grain sorghums, if stored in bulk, are 
very liable to heat, and only a very slight heating is nec'ssary to render 
the germ infertile. Where a corn binder is not possible, the crop can 
be harvested by cutting by hand or by the use of a cutting sled. These 
methods are more economical of time and labor than to attempt to 
harvest the heads separately in the field. For seed purpose's only it 
is possible to economically harvest heads from desirable plants in the 
field. 
MILLETS 
Owing to the fact that they will develop with relatively small 
moisture supplies and that they will mature in a short season, Millets 
must be considered among the important dry land forao-e crops. Millets, 
as are the sorghums, are “hot weather” crops and will not do well at 
higher and cooler altitudes. For the most part their place among the 
dry land forage crops is to furnish hay for horses, cattle and othei 
similar livestock. 
Varieties .—The varieties commonly met with on the Plains are 
the German, Common, Hungarian, Siberian, and Hog Millet. Hog 
Millet is grown more frequently for the grain than for the forage. In 
some sections it will produce quite heavy yields of seed. It is not 
widely adapted for Colorado Plains conditions. Where it is adapted 
it is worthy of a place in the rotation. Elsewhere, it should not be 
grown at all. Most of the sections where it does well lie in the north¬ 
eastern part of the state. 
In general, German Millet is recommended in preference to others. 
It grows more rank than the Common and consenuentlv. where moisture 
supplies are fairly good, should be seeded a little thicker. If this pre- 
