Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-06-06

| consider both quality and quantity, Is
| when ii Is in bloom. Well grown and
properly cured sorghum is highly rel
| ished by stock. and being easily grown
and Il heavy yielder. it commends it
self as a good substitute for corn fod-
der as roughage and in some respects
it is even superior. 1t may be planted
as late as July first With good results
MtLLET.
Miiiet is not a primary crop in our
state. but it is 4 supplementary crop
to be grown on land where corn has
been destroyed or cannot be readily
grown. 1t Is forage crop that we can
this year substitute for corn on lands
not already planted. Millet heads in
from forty-five to sixty days from
seeding 1t can be sown either broad
cast or drilled; the latter method gives
a moro even stand usually and requires
less seed per acre. OF the five leading
varieties generally grown for hay. ex-
rerinents show German millet to be
the best If seed for this variety cam
not be obtained, either common millet
or Hungarian should be sown. Profess
sor Chilcott of the South Dakota eX-
pertinent station, who has had much
to do in growing and feeding millet,
says il should be cut for hay. when a
majority of the heads have distinctly
appeared. If allowed to approach ma
turitv. the stems become tough and
boards on the heads stiff. reducing the
palatability of the hay The earlier cut
hay is a much safer food for all kinds
of stock although experiments show
that when cut too early. 1t has lax
ative effect upon stock. Millet hay
should be cured in the same manner as
alfalfa or clover. When harvested for
seed it should be cut when the seed
Is in stiff dough. When left until fully
ripe the seed shells, and falls out badly
during the curing and harvesting pro-
cess 1t can be handled in the same
manner as any other small grain.
The three varieties of millet best
adapted for farm purposes. in order OF
earliness, rank as follows: Hunsar-
ian. common millet. German millet: in
order of yield: German millet, Hun
garian, common millet.
KAFIR CORN.
This is a warm weather plant We'll
adapted for dry regions and usually
requires from fifteen to eighteen weeks
to mature a crop. 1t Is questionable
whether a crop could be matured In
Iowa. planted at this time. Kafir corn
is valuable forage crop, however,
even if it does not mature q crop o.
grain, and when it ripens, usually
Yields from thirty to fifty bushels Of
grain per acre. A small area of kafir
corn should be tried as an experiment.
There are two varieties that Kansas
farmers should have found most desir-
able for forage-the black hulled white
and the red kafir. The black hulled
white has short stocky stock. with
shorts Joints, and quite numerous leaves
of medium large size.
The Red Kaflr is from seven to ten
days earlier than the white variety, but
grows taller, has smaller percent OF
and grows a reduced yield of
grain.
Kafir corn can be sowed broadcast
or drilled in rows. The latter method
seems to have proven most satisfac-
tory. 1t can be drilled in rows the
same distance apart as corn-3 TO 312
feet apart The kernels should be drilled
in. one in a place few inches apart
in the row. 1t can be planted with
grain drill, one horse corn drill or
two horse corn planter with drill at
.achment If the grain drill is used 1t
IS best to stop up all but two holes.
The amount of seed the Kansas sta
ton finds best is one bushel to five
acres. seed weighing Sc pounds per
bushel. The seed should be put in about
as deep as wheat. 1t should be cul
tivated same as corn, but care need be
taken not to cultivate too deep as the
roots early in the plants growth reach
from row to row. II the crop be de-
sired for both grain and fodder 1T should
be cut with corn binder, when the
seed Is ripe and put into shocks. The
Kansas station reports the average
Yield for IL years as 46 bushels while
corn for the same period averaged 34R
bushels per acre.
Stock soon tire of Kaf1r corn when
fed alone. The feed lacks fat, is de-
hcient in protein and has an excess Of
starch Fed alone it is constipating
10 all farm animals 1t has to be fed
with laxative feeds to obtain the best
Soy Beans.
The Soy Bean has proven to be a
most excellent forage plant and fed
n connection with other roughage fur
lishes most desirable food for farm
stock. While the plant may not ma
.ure seed this season, yet it will yield
/ forage rich in protein and fat. 1t
IAN be sowed broadcast or drilled in
.ows from two to three feet apart. The
,lant has an upright bushy habit which
s much to it's advantage during wet
weather.. The stems of the matured
plant have high per cent of woody
ibre and the leaves which are rich in
protein and fat tend TO drop off as the |
,ods mature, therefore the best forage
$ obtained by cutting the plants just
Is the pods are forming.
Buckwheat.
Buckwheat can generally be matured |,
{ sown before July LIST, it is a rapid |
plant and chokes out or
most weeds. 1t can be drilled |
N sown broadcast using one third to !,
,ne-half bushel to the acre. AS a
,atch crop it is a success and the seed
Usually brings good price on the mar
ret, or it can be ground and used as
eed for stock. Mixed with other feeds, |
t is quite palatable and nutritious.
The acres a farmer has yet TO plant, |
lis present meadow acreage together |
With the number and kind of live stock |
or which he must provide feed, must I
govern the kind and character of crop
le will now plant on land formally pre-
Jared for corn. The list given abe:s !
,,a.. ,rn,,a RI faryraJ.c now (