Sorghum Has Advantages
p. 81 · Read in the full issue
SORGHUM has shown itself well suited for growing in the Pacific Islands, and it has several advantages over maize in the field.
Sorghum can be harvested about three months after planting as compared with the five months required for maize; it tolerates long periods of dry weather, and is less susceptible to disease.
Harvesting sorghum is comparatively simple and it is easier to sun-dry than maize.
Bird damage, however, is always a problem with sorghum-growing.
The birds start their attacks when the grain is in the milky stage. Bird scaring with flashing tin and so on is effective in some areas.
Wherever possible large fields, or small adjacent fields, should be planted, as it has been found that isolated small fields encourage bird damage.
Sorghum needs good seed bed preparation and good cultivation.
Naturally competition from weeds will reduce yields, although if weed competition is not too severe in the early stages of growth, it is usually enough to give one or two horsecultivations at this stage.
Usually there is no need for hand hoeing—the leafy growth of sorghum shading out weeds in the row. Closer
spacing when planting out gives slightly better yields, provided the inter-row cultivations are carried out properly. The seed should be planted 1 to 2 inches deep, as sorghum is a crop which will not tolerate deep planting, Fertilising on many alluvia soils is effective with a dressing of li cwt of urea to acre ’ a PPi ie d straight after the first horse hoeing, The fertiliser. should be coupled with an application of 2 cwt per acre of superphosphate at planting time if the soil is deficient m phosphate.
Sorghum should be harvested as soon as the gram is hard; the stalk cut about 9 inches below the head, an d threshed by hand or by using a Carvie nee thresher, Sorghum not properly dried soon goes musty when stored, and it is a good policy to sell or use the gram as soon after h arves ting and sun drying as possible, . Grain sor B, um j s similar, to maize m food value for stock, but it a verages about 2 per cent, higher in P rote m and 1 per cent, lower in fat. contains practically no vitamin A.
For laying hens, broiler production, and dairy animals, maize and sorghum are identical in food value. Sorghum alone is a little inferior to maize for fattening beef animals and pigs.