Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-08
AFRICAN GRASS
SEEN AS MONEY
CROP Of SOUTH
Department of Agriculture tx
pert Believes Its Culture Will
Add Millions to Revenue.

WASHINGTON, June 7.-Impor
tant additions to the crops of the
South which will add millions to the
revenue Of the farmers of Georgia
and nearby states, If cultivated as
universally as they deserve, are an
nounced by the Department of Agri
culture in report prepared by r. A.
Oakley, agronomist in the office Of
Forage Crop Investigation Of the Blu
reau of Plant Industry.
A world wide search has been con-
Quoted for hay crops adapted to the
South, and two species of grass have
been emphatically approved, while. a
third appears to be thoroughly salts
factory. The three varieties were
discovered in Africa. The two which
meet with the Apr val of the gov
eminent experts are Rhodes grass and
Sudan grass, while experiments are
still being conducted on Tunis grass
Value Apparent From First.
In the course of its work the
Department Of Agriculture has intro
duced a large number of species and
varieties of true grasses; and while
as might be expected, a great ma
jority of these showed little or no
promise for our conditions. there
were some whose value was apparent
almost from the first" says the Oak
ley report
sfFThn1Huh al int n
rarely the case that the Introduction
and testing Of new crops result in the
spectacular. Among the grasses that
have been received within the past
few years. however, are species that
promise to be exceptions to the rule.
Not only are they practically assured
place among our cultivated crops.
but one species especially seems like
ly TO produce a material change in
the agriculture of the region to
which 1t is adapted.
while not closely related botani-
cally. and differing materially in inn
portant characterizations, Rhodes
grass and Sudan grass have proved
almost equally promising in the pre-
liminary tests in the sections to which
they are apparently adapted. and are
almost certain TO become staple hay
crops within a comparatively short
time"
Rhodes grass was first cultivat ID
by Cecil Rhodes at Cape Town, about
1895. II was tested in Australia in
1911 and 1912 out Of AZ reports se-
Gently received from :he tests, p
we're enthusiastically favorable. 10
were favorable, and only unfavora-
Bile. In almost every case where fail
ure was reported the cause was read
lily apparent. In many cases the re-
ports read almost like fiction" says
Mr.. Oakley.
Florida Orders Supply.
At the present time farmers in
Florida who have tried out Rhodes
grass are placing with Australian
seedsmen orders far in excess Of the
supply.
Rhodes grass is aggressive. fur
nishes a profitable yield, is palatable
and Of good color, and has good seed
habits.
while there has not been sufficient
experience in the feeding of Rhodes
grass hay Ia this country TO make "A
definite statement regarding its
feeding value says Mr.. Oakley,
there remains little doubt in the
minds Of those who have fed II on g
small scale that II is equal to any
OF the grass hays. Its chemical analy-
sis points to a high nutritive value,
and its aroma and palatability are
such as to make il readily eaten by
stock The yield afforded by Rhodes
grass is one of its strong points. in
! this respect Il has more than come
up to expectations. Even on poor.
/ sandy soils il frequently produces two
or more cuttings per season exceeding
IL tons each. There are authentic
reports Of total yields per season Of
6 tons per acre Of well cured hay
secured from three cuttings, the. first
cutting being made in May. the sec
ond in July, and the third in Septem-
| her At the present market price Of
hav in the South il can be easily
seen that such yields are very profit
able"
Cannot Stand Cold Weather.
The one drawback with Rhodes
grass is that in its present state Of
! development il cannot stand weather
colder than 20 degrees. but the Gov
eminent scientists expect to work on;
| a method whereby the grass Will be
handled in a manner to reseed itself
so that IL can be grown in states
well up into the North.
Sudan grass however. is not limited
I in its area by temperature. and n
many respects Is a more important
[ discovery than Rhodes grass. Tests
| have been made at Arlington Farm,
/ Va. Il was obtained from Rhartum,
| Sudan, in 1909.
This grass is easily cured and cas-
/ uy handled as hay. and is very
drought resistant. The yield Of hay
and seed can as vet be only roughly
Iapproximated. IN vast majority OF
I the cases reported the yield Of hay
| has been unusually high and that OF
seed entirely satisfactory
sudan grass already needs no eX-
ploitation." SAYS Mr. Oakley, and il
| hardly seems likely that anything
viii develop 10 detract from its pop
ulsritv or to lessen its usefulness
I Numerous representatives. Of its
group (the sorghums) are now, and
[ have been for a long time, important
forage crops in this country. Taking
Y this into consideration, together with
the wonderful showing Sudan grass
I has made. the predicting Of bright
I future for il seems entirely JUSTIFIED
pIuEp TAXES AWAY FARM,