Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-05-15

northwest it is approximately 5000 feet. From
the southeast to the northwest then, it is seen,
attitudes gradually ascend, rainfall becomes
lighter and the seasons shorter. From this
it is plain that crops and methods adapted to
the variation in conditions must be adopted
for greatest success.
The grain sorghums are we'll suited to the
higher, drier portions and in the main they
are filling the requirements Here they are
of vital importance, as they give dependable
grain for feeding and fattening where there
was none before. This is significant in that
it is making good one big deficiency that pre-
v1ously existed for meat and milk making in
a region that by nature is admirably adapted
to live stock rearing and live stock is consid-
cred essential to permanently profitable ag-
riculture.
Taking the state over, kafir is the leading
grain sorghum, but where the seasons
shortest milo is preferred owing to its earlier
maturity. Some of the early varieties of milo,
at elevations of 5000 to 1000 feet, now ma
ture in 90 to 100 days. Feterita is another
grain sorghum that has only recently come
into prominence that is also noted for its early
maturity, and the indications are that it will
rival in popularity the better known kafir and
milo.
Early maturity is desirable quality in all
our crops, and this applies throughout the
state, but it is especially important in the west
ern part. To encourage early maturity, the
heads of grain that ripen before the general
crop should be gathered for seed. Persevered
IN, this method should do much to correct the
noticeable deterioration in kafr and milo.
This deterioration is attributed chiefly to the
general planting of mongre1 seed. With pure
seed, of early maturing strains, these crops
susceptible of very great Improvement
Moreover, owing to the fact that three fourths
or more of the precipitation comes in the sum-
mer months, it is important that spring crops
be planted conditions warrant, to
make the most of the moisture in the season
when rainfall is most abundant.
Yielding in the driest seasons, grain that
pound for pound is practically the equivalent
to that of corn, the grain sorghums are prov
ing mighty instrumental in transforming
country that for years recognized chiefly
a grazing section into one of general agri-
culture This means that as time passes it
will support vastly increased population
that there will be more homes more schools,
more churches, fuller utilization of our OPP
portunities, and larger prosperity.
The value of the silo should be empha-
sized While conditions vary widely in
eastern and western Kansas. returns indi
cate that owners in both portions are of one
mind regarding its worth and economic inn
portance. The man with the pit silo, filled,
say with kaflr in western Kansas, IS no less
satisfied with results than is the farmer with
the above-ground kind, filled with corn, in
eastern Kansas Six years ago there were
only about fifty silos in Kansas. The first
enumeration by the state board of agricul-
ture last year showed 7,137. This suggests
something of their rapid increase in popular
-, A. &C.,, -r1r,0 tod