Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-04-18
NeoO Forage Crops For the South

thick seeding insures a finer and more
leafy plant, which is an advantage. 1t
may. of course be planted I'm rows three
or four feet apart. as already indicated.
When sown broadcast, sixteen pounds
or seed would he required per acre: I'm
three-foot rows. two to four pounds, and
When sown broadcast, sixteen pounds
Sudan grass can be sown with cow
peas or other legumes. thereby provid-
ing a mixed hay of excellent quality.
Sudan grass is best cut with a mower
and handled just as any other hay crop.
II should be cut of course, after the
seed heads form, but before they have
progressed very far towards maturity.
IT. other words. a good time to cut is
right after full bloom Sudan grass
can be planted after oats. and in a
favorable season will probably make
two cuttings. If planted on spring
plowed land, about the middle of May
TO the first of June, 1 one may possibly
obtain three cuttings. This grass re-
quires about seventy-five days from the
time OF planting before cutting. The
second and third cuttings will generally
be ready about forty-five to fifty days
later. Under ordinary farm practice one
can probably count on securing not more
than two cuttings in an average season
except along the gulf coast. Sudan
grass is palatable and readily eaten by
live stock Ii has about the same
chemical composition as Johnson grass
and timothy hay, and therefore can be
used to advantage in increasing the
rOughage supply on every southern
farm. yield from one and half to
three or more tons may be anticipated.
Much depends on the season and soil.
Sudan grass would not be recommend
ed for silage or for pasture under exist
ing conditions, as other crops can be
used to better advantage for both pur-
poses. In other words. We do not think
it could be expected to take the place
of Bermuda grass for pasture, nor of
the sorghums or kafir corn for silage
making purposes. 1t is not a difficult
plant from which to gather the seed,
so that the farmer who once establishes
il should be able to perpetuate it, The
seeds are well retained. When grown
for seed il is best to cut with an or
binary grain binder, and it may be
stacked and threshed similar to any
other grain. The seed weighs about 80
to 80 pounds per bushel, and yields of
from 400 TO 500 pounds and more per
acre have ben obtained. The seed gen.
orally brings from $3.50 to $500
bushel.
Since the seed OF Sudan grass is very
similar in appearance to that of Johnson
grass. il is every important for the
farmer to learn to distinguish between
the two, for Johnson grass, as already
pointed out, may become a serious nui-
sance when established on a given farm.
whereas sudan grass can be easily con-
trolled and eradicated. The schances
are that Sudan grass will prove more
satisfactory and valuable for growth on
the average southern farm than the mil
lets which will at most ordinarily only
make one cutting a year, and a yield
not surprising that of Sudan grass.
While this is a comparatively new for
age plant and there is much yet TO
learn about it, it promises TO be or
value in the gulf region
and farmers should exper-
iment with it in a limited way and learn
all they can about it's adaptability to
their locality.
DATA OK THE CULTURE OF ToMA-
TOES.
A. g. Hatcher station. Ca. writes:
would like some information on the culture .
Of tomatoes How would stable manure do
as a fertiiszerE What Kind OF soil Is pref
cradle. red or. sandy!
Well rotted yard manure can be
used under tomatoes to very good adj
vantage. II you desire to grow toma-
toes on a commercial scale you should
open a furrow with turning plow TO
a good depth. Scatter well rotted ma
nure therein and cover by drawing two
furows together. Allow the ground to
settle and then fertilize with the for
rnula suggested below and set out the
plants at suitable distances. The dis
lance will vary naturally with the fer
tflity Of the land. For the home gar
den we prefer to dig out a hole where
the tomato plant is to stand. Fill 1t
properly with well rotted manure and
then replace the top, soil If the toma-
toes are wrapped loosely with paper
around the stem when planted, damage
from cut worms will usually be pre-
vented.
A great many fertilizer formulas may
be used for tomatoes and as a rule this
crop should be fairly we'll supplied with
potash. This can not be accomplished
at the present time for obvious rea-
sons. If one of course has some wood
ashes which has not been exposed to
rain, they may be used on the land in
tended for tomatoes. We would ordi-
narily broad cast them over the soil and
harrow we'll In, using several hundred
pounds per acre.
A good formula TO use for tomatoes