136 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. {1 Juxy, 1901. 
of exactly the same height and growth to my cows with no ill effects, the 
difference being that mine was put through the chaffcutter and his was not. 
Vorce: Did you put anything with it ? 
_ Mr. Dean: There was certainly a little bran. In cases of hoven I always 
believe in tapping, and I would advise everyone not to be afraid to use the 
knife. Ihave seen cases so bad that the animal was actually panting for 
breath owing to the pressure on the lungs. The putting in of the knife, 
however, generally gives immediate relief. 
-Mr. M. L. Garaxrr (Nikenbah): I have read a lot in the Agricultural 
Journal about sorghum poisoning, but so far I have not had any trouble in that 
direction -nyself. I cut the sorghum at night, and chaff it for use the next 
morning. | have never fed sorghum to my cattle whole, and have now been 
using it five years without any ill effect. Ifan occasion arises when [ am short 
of feed I generally mix some dry oaten chaff with the sorghum. Sorghum is 
indispensable to me in the feeding of my stock, and I think I have used them 
all—sorghum, imphee, amber cane, kafir corn, &c. 
Mr. J. Danzer (Pittsworth): With reference to the Johnston grass, I 
would like to ask Mr. Coulson if he has ever known cases where the 
Johnston grass has been the means of the death of cattle or horses. At one 
time my brother induced me to scatter a few seeds of Johnston grass, and by 
so coing I may say that I managed to spoil a beautiful farm of about 40 
acres, which is now all eaten up with Johnston grass. 
Mr.T. E. Counson (Rosewood) : I do not wish to monopolise the time, but 
would like to read two little extracts from a Southern journal which have been 
sent to me since it was known I was reading a paper on this subject of sorghum 
poisoning :— 
SORGHUM AS A SOILING CROP. 
E. E. Cuxsrer, Illinois. 
Blue grass, timothy, and the clovers are pre-eminently the pasture grasses of the 
cultivated region of this north temperate zone. They, like all other forage plants, are 
so subject to change from a normal growth in extremes of temporature, humidity, an 
varied fertility of soil that with large experience and without prophetic knowledge it 
is not an easy task to gauge the area of pasturage to the number and demands of live 
stock on hand. The clovers are often damaged if not killed outright in winter, and 
when the thermometer registers for weeks at a time near the 100 mark, and the 
heavens are as brass, refusing the much-needed rain to the parched and thirsty earth, 
the grasses insist on taking a vacation and give themselves over to perfect rest. 
For this latter misfortune the sorghum plant is a godsend to our country, fitting 
the emergency nicely. It is a child of the sun transplanted to and acclimated in our 
colder climate. It revels in the heat that withers the grasses, and ignores the lack of 
moisture that compels their repose. In three years out of four the pasture crop is 
shortened some time during the month of August, or possibly a little sooner or a 
little later. The latter end of this drought is where the pinch comes to stockmen. 
Sorghum may be planted early as corn-planting time to meet the early drought, but 
if planted early it should be in rows adapted to cultivation, for it grows slowly until 
the days and nights are warm, and the weeds will push it hard if sown early and not 
cultivated. The largest crop may be grown on land fall-ploughed, or ploughed early 
in spring, and thoroughly cultivated until late corn-planting time. ‘The soil should 
be strong, well pulverised, and free from weeds, as it will be if disked or harrowed 
often up to this date. It may be put in with a wheat drill with alternate holes 
stopped. It may be sown broadcast and harrowed in if the ground is moist at the 
time. Most of our farmers put it in with a corn-planter, double-rowing it. In 
either method from 3 pecks to 1 bushel per acre of seed is used. If to be cut 
with the binder for hay, a trifle more may beused. When putin as directed, there is 
little fear of weeds injuring the crop, as it grows rapidly when there is heat enough to 
make it think of the homeland. 
When planted in rows, it is usually cut with a corn knife and hauled out daily on 
the pasture land for the cattle. If it is sown broadcast it is cut with a mowing 
machine as wanted for use. All live stock, and even the average boy who has a knife 
with which to remove the outer shell, is fond of it, and, so far as my personal 
knowledge goes, no harm has come from its use, not even in a frosted stage. Yet in 
Kansas they say cattle die from the effects of second growth frosted sorghum, I 
know of a bunch of Jersey cows that have been pastured he the past month in a field 
