The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1915-04-29

SCARED still higher To Ave dollars q
pound. This fall, with possibly four
thousand acres devoted to seed in
Texas. and one or two thOusand acres
In the rest OF the United States. the
price Of seed has been reduced BY
the farmer-gr0wess 70 one dollar =
pound retail
At this time the price Of ssdaa grass
seed is fully as cheap II not cheaper
that Sumae sOrghuH seed as paanted
for hay purposes The Texas farmer
plants from two to -four bushels Of
sorghum broadcast fer hay, and pays
from $3.50 upward a basfel for the
seed, making the cost $500 to $50
per acre. Sudan. grass rs planted st
the rate of one to three pOunas os
seed to the acre in drills at the pres
ent time, and gives an excellent stand
because Of It's wonderful st0oling hab-
1t. one, seed produciag fron 20 to a0e
culms of stems; and We have record
of certain instances where nearly 500
culms came from single seed. II Is
crop. therefore which adjusts itself
to the land automatically.
The best way to get an idea Of the
nutritive value of Sudan grass woald
be to compare 1t with Johnson grass,
which, were 1t not such a pest, is the
most desirable hay grass ever grown
in the country.
Another point which speaks well
for Sudan grass is that the hay is
relfshed by live stock even when
grown for seed and the seed is tIlresh-
ed off. During the past two years We
have fed this threshed hay to work
mules. milk cows, and dry cattle and
found that they ate it readily.
One of the highly important fea-
lures of Sudan grass hay is its palat-
ability. 1t Is very tender, even when
allowed to mature for seed, and has
a sweetish taste and pleasant odor
which cause it to be relished by all
kinds of live stock.
ious members of the sorghum family.
1t is. therefore, necessary that when
planted for seed it should be grown
on land absolutely free of volunteer
sorghums, such as kafir, milo, feteri-
ia, Johnson grass, and so forth, and
that no hybrids which may have come
from previous years crosses be al
lowed to bloom. These hybrids should
be rOgued out as soon as dscernible
in the field.
When we started the propaganda for
Sudan grass in Texas we realized the
Importance of extreme care in the
production of seed. and accordingly be
gan by organizing the Texas Expert
ment Association, one of the objects of
which is the improvement, increase
and dissemination of crops. The seed
available was prorated among men,
bers. and each was required to plant
it upon land absolutely free of John
son grass or other sorghums. This
crop was produced under the super
vision of the Texas Experiment Sta
ton and inspected by experiment sta
ton officials. The seed will be sold
strictly upon its merits, as determin-
Ell by the inspectors, Farmers of
the country are warned against buy
ing Sudan grass grown in an indif-
ferent manner, with reference to
plants with which Sudan grass will
cross. The reasons for this are OBJ
vious.
Texas Dairymen are proud of Sudan
grass for they feel that 1t means more
to the dairy business in the south and
west than anything that has been done
in behalf of the industry in many
years. The writer certainly can COM
mend this crop to every dairyman in
the United States south of the north
ern tier of states.
For specific information concerning
the production of Sudan grass it would
be well to write to the Division of
Publications, Department of Agricul-
ture. Washington d. C., asking for a
copy of Farmers Bulletin No. COS, and
this station for it's forthcoming Su-
dan grass bulletin. which is not vet
ready for distribution The first cir
cular on Sudan grass published by this
station in 1913 has long since been
exhausted.