Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-04-15
Alfalfa the Most Valuable FORAGE

get at the facts, it would be ascertained
that in half the homes of the farmers
there Is no sorghum syrup at this season
Of the year. Comparatively few make
supply. We saw farmer a few days
ago who had sold about. fifty gallons
to his neighbOrs at so cents gallon
That was the surplus after providing
for his own family. He also had forage
from the can packed away in his barn
In making syrup. the proper way is
To seal it in tin cans or Jugs and set
away in a cellar or other cool place
until needed. When opened, even late
in the Summer. it is of good color and
as palatable as when first made II is
much better than the same syrup com
bined with glucose and sold under fancy
names.
Recently We have tried the ribbon
cane syrup made in South Carolina or
Georgia, 1t had sort of cane taste
which was Objectionable. Even children
would turn it down after trying il a day
or two. The mOlasses shipped under
the name Of MuscovadO is unfit for table
use. That is the kind we have tried
recently. The sacchaTine matter has all
been whiried out Of il, and nothing
but a thick black liquid is left.
But sorghum is valuable as a forage
crop if no syrup is made. There is 10
cheaper forage than sorghum cane. An
acre of land, which would make a fair
sorghum would make feed enough fer
half-dszen mules two or three months.
The time TO feed il is when the seeds
are in the dough state, and then on
until il is mature. The balance may
then be cut and shocked and fed during
the Winter Hundreds of farmers are
now using small engines for various
purposes. If they win get a good feed
cutter ana cut The sorghum or green
corn into short lengths, mules and milk
cows viii eat everything clean. A small
ration Of grain once a Jay with abHn-
dance Of sorghum cane will keep horses
and mules in fine condition. even when
| they are doing hard work. Hogs viii
eat the cane without chOpping in a
cutter. With grass pasture and plenty
! of sorghum cane, hogs will thrive and
| fatten with a small grain ration al night.
! Some lazy. thriftless farmers object
| TO planting sorghum because il eNhausts
| the plant food i'm the soil A crop
| which does not do that Is worth nothing.
! BY sowing rye as cover crop as soon
as the sorghum cane is cut, ana turning
[ that under the following Spring. the land
viii be ready for tie next crop An
acre Of land which viii make ,e50
4 pounds of seed cotton viii make leo 60
20 gallons 81 syrup. stripping the
/ fodder. cutting the cane and making the
syrup viii cost ~" more than picking
the cotton ard getting H. ON The market.
Alfalfa.
u is somewhat singular that about
I The time the farmer gets lis cotton seed
| in the ground. his corn crib has The bad
habit Of getting empty. Even now, the
April winds are whis;liug through the
cracks, plurlsimins their emptiness. ID
will be the last ter days of MAY before
eats can be used for feed Where there
are lots sown in rye, fine hay may be
cut by the last week i'm April But there
are only a few farmers who make tHis
provision for an ahunGaur supply If
stock feed.
The earliest best and cheapest fora ge
for work animals, milk cows aud hogs
is alfalfa. Recently several Inquiries
have been made In farmers in regard 80
the crop. II is Iesume, or nitrogen
gatherer. and. like an such plants. if
gives the farmer the cheapest Nitrogen
possible II also adds humus 10 The
4
in alfalfa four wears. Tie land VIII make
more cotton and corn without fertilizer
tbau similar land VIII make VITA "a
heavy application Nhen o." leguninous
crop is grown
Preparation Of Land.