The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-01-11
FETER|TA
BIDS FAIR To
RIVAL WHEAT
INTEREST OF THE FARMERS ALL
OVER THE SOUTH AROUSED
IN THE GROWTH OF THIS NEW
GRAIN.

That in feterta substitute 70,
wheat has been found in the opinion
of many persons who have had an
opportunity to see the wonderful re-
suits obtained from the growth OF
this grain and the use OF the flour
Enthusiastic farmers in the small
section of the country where it has
been carefully tried out are planting
II this year in the place of cotton
and other crops. The worS with
feterita at the government expert
)nent farms shows it to be pro-
''iic grain or forage crop particularly
| ldapted to southern states.
This new crop was first intro
dCced into the United States from
,he Sudan, where it is commonly
crown under the name of feterita. 1t
IS of the non -sacharine sorghum
.omily, having stalks from to y
feet high, which are semi juicy and
slightly sweet before ripening IT
resembles milo maize in habit. ex-
Ccpl that the heads are larger. uni
| formly erect and the seeds larger,
softer and white in color, It's abil
| ity to resist drouth or excessive wet
weather makes 1t a dependable crop
| from which excellent returns can
| be expected
Planting should be done from
March first to May first, but a sue
cessful stand can be secured even
though the seed Is not planted until
June first, Its earliness, for feterita
natures from two to four weeks
sooner than katir, adds to its value in
assuring several crops in seasonable
years. The cultivation and harvest
ing Of feterita is similar to that of
milo but the grain crop can be
more easily gathered because the
heads are uniformly erect 1t re-
! quires about six pounds of good seed
to plant an acre.
1t has been proved and demon
strated that the feterita yield is five
times that of wheat and consider
| ably more than corn and enormous
crops have been reported from a
number of average farms. Its feed
ing value is equal to that of milo,
and hogs and cattle thrive and fatten
on it. For use as silage it will be
found superior 10 sorghum. Reports
from government experts show that
teterta is not 50 susceptible to the
midge or blight as other members of
the sorghum family and it's hardness
and utility as feeding or grain crop
make it one which will help to solve
the problem OF satisfactorily replac-
ing uncertain cotton.
The credit for bringing the atten-
ton of the public to the value of
feierita largely belongs to Mr.. w.
G. Hand, special agent of the United
states department of agriculture, and
he real estate and agricultural di
vIs.on of the Chamber of Commerce
of San Antonio, and their combined
Efforts in placing this plant in the
Glst rank of profitable southern
crops will undoubtedly mean much to
the farmers of the south. Hundreds
Of inquiries from all over the coun-
try are being received, asking about
th.s new crop and its success.
lust before Christmas. Mr.. Hand
sent two fruit cakes made of feterlta
-four to President Wilson While
ii is not the custom of
any member of the presidents fam
lily to comment on gifts received, IL |
is said that President Wilson, when
asked about the fruit cake, smiled
with that rare smile which illumi-
mates his face when thinking OF en-
joyable incidents, and remarked; 1T
was good"
II has been found from chemical
analysis that the nutritiye value of
feterita is about equal to that of
wheat, and in grinding the flour it
loses a less percentage than the lat !
ter. Its use as flour has shown il |
to be as good as wheat for making |
mullins, pan cakes, cakes, rolls and
waffles. Samples of feterita were re
Gently sent to Fort Sam Houston !
army post and the officers there
pronounced the cakes and mullins
made from it an agreeable change
from the old wheat -four. and Just
as palatable.