The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1914-10-09

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The cultivation of Sudan grass is
attracting the attention of the farm
ers in practically all parts of the
country, and particularly in the West
and Southwest, where the first extern
sive experiments with 1t have been
made.
Sudan grass Is an importation from
Egypt. The United States depart
ment of agriculture received small
amount of the seed and a portion OF
this was placed in the hands of Mr..
David B. Clarkson, Of Chicago, who
owns an extensive farm in southern
Texas on which considerable
amount of experimental work is done.
Beginning with this small handful
of seed, Mr.. Clarkson has cultivated
1t as a forage crop on his farm near
Robstown, Tex, for the past three
years. In commenting on his results,
Mr.. Clarkson said
81 believe this grass is the best for
age crop ever introduced into dry and
semi-arid sections. l believe that 1t
will bring into highly profitable Gull
tivation millions of acres Of land In
the Southwest where the rainfall is
not sufficient to produce an abundance
of other feeds for stock. Next year,
and continuously thereafter, Sudan
grass will be grown extensively in ev-
cry state in the Union regardless of
rainfall. Corn will not stand severe
drought. Sudan grass laughs at
droughts and rejoices when it rains.
If there is season enough to bring the
seed UP it will produce from two to
four bountiful crops Of hay of the high
est quality. On scientific feeding tests
this hay has proved to be one of the
best known feeds for beef and milk
production as well as for work and
driving animals"
Sudan grass is now being grown in
Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Nebras-
ka, California and several other states,
including some east of the Mississippi
river.
Sudan grass is an annual, the leaves
Of which are broader and more numer-
GUS than those Of Johnson grass, to
which it is related, by the absence of
rootstocks, and while this necessitates
annual planting it also prevents Sudan
grass from becoming an obnoxious
weed like the perennial Johnson grass.
When seeded broadcast or in drills it
averages about three to five feet in
height and has stems little smaller
than a lead pencil. When grown In
rows and cultivated it reaches a
height of six to nine feet, with rather
larger stems. The hay of the cult
waited crop is somewhat coarser than
that of the broadcast crop and Is not
so desirable for market hay.
Sudan grass does best on rich
loan, but it has been grown success
fully on almost every class of soil,
from a heavy clay to light sand, says
John w. Wilkinson, editor of the Okla
homa Farmer. Where the soil is quite
sandy, light yield may be expected
The ground must be fairly we'll
drained.
When given plenty of room the
grass stools very freely, especially
after the first cutting, and it is not I'M
common to find over hundred stems
rising from one crown.
From seeding to first cutting Is to
80 days are usually necessary. The
second cutting comes about As days
after the first and in sections where
the growing season is at least six
months, third cutting can be made
so to SIS days later. By cutting the
grass earlier each time four cuttings
can be made in some sections, but it
is probable that three cuttings give
an equally large yield of hay of bet
ter quality. The total yields vary from
one to six tons of cured hay an acre.
1t has been demonstrated that SUI
dan grass is palatable, and analysis
shows it to be about the same in chem
ical composition as Johnson grass and
timothy hay. The percentage of pro-
tein decreases from the heading Pc
riod until the seed is ripe, but the hay
Is as valuable about blossoming time
as at any previous stage.
1t is admirably suited for use as
soi1ing crop, since it makes large
yield and is very palatable in the
green state, as well as when cured
fer hay.
No trial of Sudan grass as silage.
says the United States department of
agriculture, has yet been carried out.
but judging from its palatability and
Its succulence it should be excellent
for this purpose, especially in mix
lures with legumes. A mixture of
Sudan grass and cowpeas or soy beans
could be grown for silage, as well as
or hay.
In northern Texas yields of Sudan