The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-03-16
SUDAN GRASS FOR FEED
Oklahoma Writer Says Crop Has
a Great Future.
II Furnishes Abundant Roughaee Of
Good Quality and Highly Nutritive
Value Which Is Readily De-
voured by Stock.
tBy W. J. GREEN. Oklahoma A. and NJ
College StillwaterD

By w. j. GREEN. Oklahoma A. and NJ.
College Stillwaterl
Judging from the results obtained
from 1t during the past three years
sudan grass, the latest grain sorghum
to be introduced into the United States.
has great future before IT, During
the short time that II has been grown
in this country this new forage crop
has shown itself to be worthy OF per
manent place on the American farm
The successful farmer must grow
his own feel for his live stock. as 1t is
a losing proposition to buy IL on the
market. This is where sudan grass
comes in. II furnishes abundant rough
age of good quality and high nutritive
value which is readily eaten by almost
all kinds of stock. The yield per acre
is high and crop failure is almost un.
known. These things, together with
the fact that II is an excellent drought
resister, will make sudan grass one OF
the most important forage crops of the
future.
sudan grass produces an excellent
quality OF hay which has been shown
by analysis to have high feed value.
1t compares favorably with timothy
hay, as far as composition and palata.
bility are concerned. There is no
waste in feeding sudan hay, for the
stock will eat all of II, both leaves and
stems. II makes according to satisfac-
tory experiments an ideal feed to use
in connection with alfalfa or clover.
Sudan grass is a heavy yielder. The
average amount of hay produced to the
acre varies. OF course, with the eli.
matte conditions and the kind of soil
on which the crop is grown; It. how.
ever, ranges from one to four tons in
one season. When sowed broadcast or
with drill. sudan grass grows to a
height of three or four feet When
planted in rows, II often gets to be as
high as seven or eight feet II has a
decided tendency TO stool; sometimes
as many as 200 stems will arise from
one crown. These things account for
the large yields that have been report
ed, and big yields are one of the fac
tors that will make sudan grass the
forage crop of the future.
AS to climatic conditions. sudan
grass will grow and mature as far
north as the southern boundary OF
North Dakota. II. however. prefers a
warm climate.
As a drought resister this new for
age crop has been found to be better
than any of the other grain sorghums
! II can withstand more dry weather
than even feterita the most drought
resistant of the sorghums. This makes
II a blessing to the semiarid regions
and those parts of the country visited
by an occasional dry spell, for It In.
sures a winter supply OF hay or silage.
Although a drought resister. sudan
! grass is not damaged by wet weather
During the season Of 1915, which in
some sections was the wettest in
| years. great crops of this so-called
grass were reported. II seems from
this that. although 1t can get along
with little rainfall. too much rain will
only serve to make the crop better.
Sudan grass has been with us long
enough to have passed the experiment
tai stage. and in the light of what Is
known about II II seems that II is here
to stay.