The Monticellonian., 1916-09-28


ment of Agrieulture)
Because Of the great distance of the
Panhandle of Texas from large mar
kets and the consequent desirabiity of
feeding to stock large portion of the
crops raised. mixed farming, it is de-
ciared by specialists in the United
States department of agriculture, is the,
only profitable type of agriculture for
the region. The conditions making the
carrying on of mixed farming opera
tions imperative if adequate returns
are to be received are outlined in
Farmers Bulletin 73S, recently issued
by the department.
In the Panhandle section the sor-
ghums, especially milo, kafir and feter-
ita, are the principal crops grown, oc-
cupying about three-fourths of the to-
tai cultivated area. In addition to
these the small grains have an impor-
tant. though minor. place in the agri-
cultural scheme.
The bulletin recommends the grow
ing of winter wheat, spring oats. win
ter rye and prose-. Winter grains, it
says, have been more successful in
the Panhandle than spring grains, and
spring oats is the only one of the lat
ter that has proved even fairly profit
able At the present time the winter
wheat crop is of much more Importance
from Il money standpoint than spring
oats. Both these crops, however can
be used to advantage in general
farming system.
Winter rye is desirable because of
its hardness. Though its Yields are
not the equal of those of winter wheat,
1t nearly always comes through the
winter in good shape and Il has never
failed to produce more seed than was
sowed This cannot be said of wheat
At the present time, however, very lit
tie rye is grown in the Panhandle.
Prose- is a species of millet intro
| dueed from Russia and often called
hog millet and broom corn millet It
is grown for grain. not for hay. and
fed particularly to hogs, sheep and
poultry. To the dry land farmer its
chief value is its earliness, for prose-
can produce a crop of seed in two
months or less from the time of seed
ing. The bulletin recommends that
this crop should be raised for home
use, but warns the grower that it Is
not likely to be profitable when sold
on the market.
For the growing of winter grains the
land should be prepared as early in
the summer as possible and plewed to
a depth of ut least six inches Weeds
should not be allowed to get a start
but in keeping them down care must
be taken not to fine the surface soil too
much. Fine surface land will blow
more than if it Is left somewhat rough
and the high winds which prevail
throughout the Panhandle must be
reckoned with in all agricultural oper-
ations. Increased yields are obtained
from alternating summer fallow and
crops, but the increase is not large
enough to pay for the extra work in
volyed.
As has been said, the sorghum crops
occupy the most important place in
Panhandle agriculture. These grow
late In the fall and leave the soil dry
so that it is not advisable to follow
them with winter grain. 1t is better
to grow some leguminous crop like COW
peas the next year and to follow this
with wheat or rye.
Wheat should be sown about October
Is. though in an average season any
time from October l to November
will do. The amount of moisture in
the soil at seeding time and the sub
sequent weather conditions have
greater influence upon the yield than
the date upon which the crop is sown.
Three pecks per acre is the rate rec
commended under ordinary conditions
The Turkey type is probably the best
for this region.
Rye is the other winter grain recon-
mpnded in the bulletin. Spring rye, it