The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1911-03-16
DRY LAND SORGHUMS
Especially Adapted as Good
Drought Resistant Crops.
saoeharlne and Non-saecharlne Va
rletles Can Survive and Produce
Abundant Yields Under the
Most Adverse Conditions.

Prof. A. NJ. Ten Eyck. superintend.
ent of the Fort Hays (Kan.J Expert.
ment station, in an address on
drought resistant crops. delivered be-
fore the Western Kansas Farmers
conference said
Both the saccharine and non.sac-
charine sorghums are especially adap-
ted for "dry-land farming" and are
well named "drought-resistant crops"
These crops can survive and produce
Rbundantly under conditions OF
drought and hot winds that would
destroy almost any other crop grown
on the western plains.
OF the non-saccharlne sorghums
there are four different types or
groups. varieties OF which are grown
more OF less extensively In different
portions of the west There are the
kafirs. OF which there are three com
mon varieties Red. White and
Black.hulled White; the durras, in
cluding White and Brown durra.
Milo maize and Jerusalem corn; Shall
lu. growing in this country under yari.
GUS names as California wheat Mex
ican wheat. Egyptian wheat and
Broom corn. Of which there are two
general types or varieties, the Stand.
ard and the Dwarf.
In Kansas the kaflr-corn and Milo
maize is grown extensively; in the
western part of the state these crops
ha.A 49, ka Ia
a forage and grain crop kaGr and
Milo are superior TO corn where the
several crops grow equally well. pro-
ducing more fodder per acre and of
better quality than corn-fodder, while
the grain is nearly equal to corn In
feeding value and largely takes its
place as a stock feed throughout the
region where corn is not extensively
grown.
At the Kansas station. of the varl.
etles named above kaflr-corn has
proved to be the best producer OF
grain and fodder, while Milo maize
ranks second. The last-named va
riety and Jerusalem corn are grown
to limited extent in western Kansas.
In Colorado the Milo maize and Brown
durra are grown more largely than
kahr-corn. Shallu is not so good a
producer Of grain as kafir or Milo at
the Kansas Experiment station, and
nfuch less valuable for forage than
cane. Broom corn is grown only for
It's brush, which usually commands n
high price. This crop is rapidly com
ing into prominence in western Kan
sas and Nebraska. II is an expensive
crop TO grow and a crop failure
means great loss, but the crop espe.
cially In Dwarf bcoom corn, seems
well suited to dryland farming condi-
Si6hs. In the more favorable seasons
the crop yields well and is very profit
able TO grow.
In Kansas saccharine sorghum, or
cane, is grown extensively for forage.
Usually the seed Is sown broadcast
and the crop Is cut and put up like
hay. There Is perhaps no forage crop
adapted for growing in Kansas that
will yield as much forage In single
season as cane, planted as stated
above. At the Kansas station, in
1908, ~ tons OF cured cane-fodder
we're secured at single cutting, and
II is possible In some seasons, by
seeding early, to cut two crops,
Both the saccharlne and non-sac
charine sorghums are much alike in
the time of planting. habits Of growth
etc. Neither crop will start well II
the spring until the soil Is warm, ant
either crop has the capacity to remain
dormant for a considerable period
during drought and then to quicll!
renew it's growth when the condition.
are again favorable. Both crops ar
great exhausters OF the soil moistur
aud perhaps also of the soil fertilit!
KaRr.corn. especially, has gained tn
reputation Of being hard" on tn
land.
II is the general report that whe'
and other crops do not grow as VIC
after kahr-corn and cane as aft
corn and It Is claimed that the
furious effects OF the sorghum or,
on tie land may sometimes be
served for several seasons, These
ports have not been fully tested
the Kansas station.