THE LAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 205, 27 August 1920, Page 7

THE LAND.

By AGRICOLA.

SORGHUM. ; ITS VALUE TO THE DAIRYMAN". In the northern districts of New Zealand, where the interests of the dairy are paramount, one of the first requirements is a crop of succulent fodder to maintain the cow inj a full flow of milk during those month? of summer when the pastures become comparatively bare ' and no longer provide the grass that j cows .must have if the supply of milk is not to fail. It is the season when dairy farmers suffer the greatest, loes; it is then, too. that the returns from the I milk factory diminish so alarmingly- ; Fortunately this is a difficulty that the! genial climate of the Xorth permits to j be overcome. It is at that season that ] the fodder crop.? furnish the succulent | milk-makine fodder that i« so much i ■wanted. There are three crops at the j command of the farmer —maize, millet, and sorghum. The third, sorghum, should be carefully considered, and very specially where the seasons are fairly j Ion? and warm. Sorghum has the strong i recommendation that it is less affected j by the absence of rain tlian maizp or i millet- It responds to the neat of sum-1 mer. The ideal provision for that season i ghould be a sufficiency of acreage of the i three crops, as, for instance, if six acres are to be set apart for green food, sow two acres in each of these crops, maize, \ millet, and sorghum. There U the tirat I advantage toat maize and millet may lie! affected by the want of rain; sorghuni | will bo the last of the three to suffer] from that condition. There is also another advantug" that ?. change of food may 'be offered to the stock, and sor-1 ghum, "of the three plants, provides the better milk producing ration. THE VARIETIES OF SORGHUM. Sorghums are divided into three rather distinct groups. It is the saccharine, or sweet sorghum, that in this country concerns the dairy farmer. This group is unlike the others, as it bears a greater resemblance to maize. The tassel f.r panicle is at one stage of its growth maize-like. The seed is borne in these tassels, not in ears or cobs. The varieties that are in greater use for gre«ti fodder are Early Amber, lmphle or Planter's Friend, and another known s>s Sonrhum-Saccharatum. This is said to include more than one variety- Another, Early Orange, is somewhat lomrer in maturing than the others; in warm districts it provides a later crop.

THE SOIL. Sorghum appears more tolerant of the nature of the soil than maize or millet. , It does, however, exact complete drain- . I age and an open sub-soil. It? roott> pene- ' I trate more deeply than maize or millet. . The deep open loam, as with all other plants, is tne desirable. No doubt still , "ood crops are crown on well-fertilised , light lands. The most unsuitable are , tlie heavy plays. PREPARATION* OF THE LAND. The early growth of sorghum is comparatively slow. Weeds are the firet enemies of the plant in its early stages, lience the land should be as clean as ' possible. This may be to a great extent secured by cultivation up to sowing the seed. As that time for sowing may be i somewhat later than that of planting maize, the sprimr will be advanced- The greater number of the weed seeds will .have germinated, and cultivation to immediately before the seeding will clear J the land and at least effect a considerI able reduction of the weed*. I The root-system of this plant is strong and deep. It responds to conditions that permit the penetration of its roots. The Eeed germinates freely; still it is most desirable that it should be sown evenly; and at a depth of about two indies. The | use of the roller provides for the even i sowing and for the regulation of the I depth. There is a belief that sorghum ' does not demand the careful cultivation required by maize, but the plant makes a generous response to thorough tillage and good treatment. After the seed is I sown the soil should be kept stirred. The ; young plant does not establish itself so ] quickiy as maize. This is more marked iin cool weather. It is then that the later -weeds assert themselves, and then that the stirrinor of the soil is the more useful. When the plants are well up the tine harrows can still be made use of, and with the greatest advantage to tile I crop. MANURES. Sorghum produces a great weight of fodder, lience of necessity there is a heavy demand on the fertility of the i toil. A complete fertiliser' is wanted. I It is recognised that at the present cost Jof manures even a. fair application . entails a very considerable expenditure. Still, the value of the crop when pasj tures are bare warrants a liberal use of : the all-necessary fertilisers. The actual quantity that is availed must fbe decided upon by the farmer bimrelf. The re- . quiremente of sorghum are. as with I . other crops, nitrogen, phosphoric acid. . l and potash. It may have to be accepted i' that the manure "will be confined to I phosphate in whatever form it may 'be ! procurable. There would, however, be [ found that a light dressing of a nitroj : genous manure broadcasted when the plants arc well above ground will provide a very considerable increase in the weight of the crop. Actually a manure for maize is suitable for sorghum.

SOWING AND FEEDING. As this crop i 5 grown in New Zealand for feeding as green fodder a if airly large quantity of seed is usually sown. Thie will be from 151b on warm, wellprepared land, to 25ib where the best eeed bed has not been provided. On good soil and in a favourable season a yield of 25 tons to the acre •may be grown. A crop of 45 tons has been produced in this country. Sor-

ghum when the tassels are fully expanded •with the seed formed i 6 in the 'best condition to use lor green food, and, ac with other crops, it is more attractive and useful for stock after it has :been allowed to wi]t in the field before feeding out. The earlier crop will usually provide a second cutting. and this will be materially assisted if the land is well harrowed t-o soon a= the first has been consumed. APPREHENSION OF DANGER FROM POISONING. • There is a prevailing idea that sorghum under certain conditions is poisonous to stock. This is now disproved, provided that the conditions are not unusual. These unusual condition** are that the plants are not growing, or that they arc stunted. The danger i" absent a;fter the plant has flowered. In some countries this crop is fed-off when it is about six or eight inches high. It then provides a most useful antf a fattening crnp for all stock. Then, if I it is flourishing, it is harmless so far a-s poisoning is concerned. The greater j danger is that of bloat or hoven. This : applies to many crops. The prwau- I tion that should be taken is the usual . die of restricting the length of time for which stock is allowed to graze. GENERAL. Sorghum succeeds wnere maize ripens its pram. It U in limited use in the ! north of this country. In a hot dry j season i* will be found more profitable than maize or millet, but in a cold wet year it may be disappointing. There is no annual fodder plant more valuable to maintain the milk supply than the sweet sorghum. With gooJ management of sorghum the season for i cutting at. green fodder may be lengthI ene.d. and, like maize, it. is excellent ■ silage. SORGHI'M AND PEAS. The value of this crop—the came I applies to maize—is lnatetially increased if a proportion of peas is grown j with it. Ihis has certain disadvantages. The difficulty is that the sorghum and peas require to be so \ managed that both are at the came i etage of growth when they are required . for use. Local conditions determine this. The mixture of peas increases the j labour of cutting the crop. The mix- j ture is the better feeding crop, but th?re j is the limitation referred to. In the | United States sorghum, with cow peßn. | Ie in the highest esteem a« a part of the j ration for dairy cattle, ooth as greei; j food and as silage. The dairy farmer ; in the warmer northern districts shoul 1 include sorghum in the crops to provide | green fodder in the summer season. = I