Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-01-05
GREATEST DECEMBER RAINFALL
IN TEN YEARS PREDICTS
GOOD SEASON.
TULSA PROSPECTS BEST YET
Plant Fruit Trees Now--Alfulfa and
kafircorn Will Have Big Acre
age Here This Year.

/ A'hl VI 1914 uIlHtH lI'H''0' VI WV
of the most successful crop years in
history.
The streams are not running yet, 80
no comparison In that respect can be
made, but all the moisture that has
| fallen 80 far has gone into the ground,
and the present cold weather IL prov
| ing a splendid natural retainer for IT,
Tho rainfall in Tulsa county during
| the month OF December, just passed
totallcd slightly under four inches, or
the heaviest of any December for ten
| years past. These figures are furnished
| by government records and are abso-
lutely accurate. They should prove
welcome news 10 the farmers of this
section.
Comparing the crop reports and
weather bureau figures 1t is to be
found that every wet December is fol-
lowed By a good crop season. The
handwriting on the wall is plain
to see,
This is due to the fact, probably
that the weather is cool and the yege-
tation is killed by frost, so that the
entire moisture sinks INTO the ground.
IT is time right now to begin think
ing about preparing for the planting
of the 1912 seed and trees.
Fruit trees should be set out in
oklahoma during mild weather. When
the planting is deferred until March
or later in nearly every instance the
fine rootlets get started before there
are any signs Of buds swelling and as
these roots are most easily killed by
few hours exposure to the wind,
often running and always injuring the
trees. The percentage Of loss through
spring planting is very high. Now Is
the time. II should be remembered
that the trees should not be disturbed
Is frozen.
Tulsa county truck growers have
most of the plowing done for pota-
TO planting. or are finishing up the
work. II the weather permits early
potatoes will be planted here the lat
ter part of February and in early
March. The acreage in potatoes will
!
year than last.
one crop that will receive more
attention here this year than ever
before is alfalfa, which the trying
summers of the past three years have
demonstrated to be the greatest forage
/ plant that can be grown in this part
OF the state. Not an acre of alfalfa
4 L IA1 h,F hn al n
! fan of the past summer and the heat,
| on the other hand every instance
reported second-year alfalfa made as
much as three tons per acre during
! the past season and the average mar
ket price for the year has been above
! S12 per ton. The present price is
! SIS per ton. The farmers recognize
II as the most profitable money crop,
one year with another. In an ordinary
season 1t viii cut six tons of hay to
( the acre. the seed crop being about
! six bushels to the acre. The pres
ont price of seed Is about sl2 bushel
| one acre OF alfalfa IL worth six to
twelve acres Of corn or four or five
acres of cotton in this section. The
.
alfalfa is the three Of four dollars per
acre cost of seed and the additional
preparations that must be given in
! caring for ihA Sed bed, previous
to sowing. The past summer and fall
have been peculiarly favorable for the
preparation Of the soil. The estimated
acreage in Tulsa county this year will
he from four to ten times that Of
1910.
As permanent pasture grass, Ber-
muda grass is recognized by expert
farmers as the most satisfactory Of all
with this suitable soil and climate in
Tulsa county. II Is vigorous grow
er, is seldom every injured by hot or
dry weather and hardly ever winter
kills. one acre OF II will pasture as
much stock as fifteen acres OF ord-
nary prairie grass. Owing to the fact
that II is hard to eradicate and fast
TO grow, II has been suggested that IL
he sowed or planted only In fields to
be used as permanent pastures, In
rough, washy ground or where rock
or shalc outcrop. and render the or
dinary cultivation of feed crops nm
profitable. The saltwater demonstra-
tlon farm recommends that bermu-
da be started by planting sod rather
| than seed. All of the seed obtained
in Tulsa comes from Texas or other
states south of here. and until ac.
cllmated, are late IN starting I'm the
spring. and the first fall frost kills
TO the ground. The ground should
be plowed only about two or three
inches deep. Place the sod on
block. and with hand AK chop It
into pieces, making the roots not
much coarser th9n oats. from one-half
to once inch In length The finer the
better The ground should be fur
rowed off, with the burrows about is
inches apart and three or four inches
deep. Take the sod and drop II in
rows. 3, 4, or 6 inches apart. on
cloudy day If possible. Soon after
planting. the ground should be cross
narrowed lightly. covering the roots
and left until after the first good rain.
whether II comes within week or
month. After the rain the bermuda
will start coming through the ground
and In one month more the runners
will meet bitween the rows. The
stock can then he turned in on II with
nj, danVar of their iniurinq A. While