Dry Farming In Colorado 
3i 
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 culti¬ 
vation. Six to fifteen pounds per acre in rows, according to width 
of rows, will be amply sufficient upon most soils. Sudan Grass 
is smaller seeded and consequently 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 de¬ 
velop 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 seem¬ 
ingly does not hold its effectiveness when the crop is cut and made 
into hay or made into silage. In other words, changes occur so 
that the poison is no longer injurious. 
Harvesting .—If not planted too thinly, amber cane or Sudan 
Grass can be mowed and cured as hay. Either of these crops 
can be allowed to mature to be put into the silo if conditions war¬ 
rant. When made into hay the crop should be raked, after allow¬ 
ing partial drying in the swath, immediately cocked and allowed 
to cure in the cock. Often cane and Sudan Grass may be har¬ 
vested with the grain or corn binder. The bundles are much more 
easily handled than the loose hay. 
GRAIN SORGHUMS 
Varieties .—The grain sorghums for the most part require a 
longer season to properly mature than amber cane or Sudan Grass. 
The following varieties of grain sorghums have been tried in an 
experimental and practical way: Kafir, milo, kaoliang, shallu and 
feterita (Sudan Dura). Each of these crops is represented by a 
large number of varieties. 
Of the kafirs, the Black Hulled White kafir has been the best. 
Black Hulled White kafir can only be matured in Colorado in the 
extreme southeastern part of the State and in a narrow belt ex¬ 
tending along the eastern border practically as far north as Wray. 
It can be used for a forage considerably further west. 
There is only one type of milo that should be grown in Colo¬ 
rado, and that is the Dwarf Yellow. The tall milos require too 
long a season. Dwarf Yellow milo, in Colorado, is the earliest 
maturing of the grain sorghums and can be grown farther north 
and west and at higher altitudes than any other grain sorghum 
now grown. In Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, feterita is as early 
or earlier than Dwarf milo, but in Colorado the situation is re¬ 
versed; Dwarf milo will mature in a shorter season than feterita. 
