The Glenwood post., 1916-03-11
SUDAN GRASS SEED

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grass introduced from Sudan in 1909,
was so enthusiastically received by the
farmers in the semi-arid portion of the
United States that in 1913 the seed
which was available only in limited
quantities sold readily at 81 per pound
and even nrie. These unusual prices
gave Sudan grass production great i'm
petus, 81 that in 1914 seed was mush
more abundant, the crop being roughly
estimated at from five to six million
pounds. Three or four million pounds.
of this amount were produced in west
ern Texas, where for time an attempt
was made to maintain the price at ~
per pound. In other localities, how
ever, the seed was offered at. 25 to 80
cents per pound, and as result Of this
q great deal of the Texas seed of the
1914 crop remained unsold in 1915.
This surplus seed carried over from
1914, together with that from the 1915
crop, has fully supplied the demand,
and the price of seed has dropped to S
cents pound or less wholesale, and
from z to 10 cents a pound retail. I'm
der favorable conditions seed can be
profitably grown for cents per pound,
since yields of 500 pounds per acre are
quite common, and 1000 pounds per
acre are very often obtained under ia.
vorable conditions without irrigation.
With irrigation the yields may reach
1000 pounds per acre. Sudan grass is
usually grown in cultivated rows when
a seed crop is desired. Planted in this
way it is readily harvested with row
binder, and after curing we'll in the
field it can be threshed with an ordin-
ary grain separator. Since no especial
machinery is required to handle the
seed crop, the expenses are reduced to
minimum, and there remains no reason
why the seed should not be reasonably
cheap and abundant. E
The most dangerous weed pest of SIT
dan grass fields is johnson grass. This
grass is common in the South and not
infrequently occurs in fields of Sudan
grass. The seeds of johnson grass re-
semble Sudan grass SO closely that only
the very closest examination will reveal
their presence. - .''e ~. - -
An admixture Of johnson grass does
not injure, the quality of the Sudan
grass hay crop, but it is a matter of do
cided importance when it comes to the
production of seed for market purposes.
Those who have land in the South free
from johnson grass consider it de-
cided injustice to be sold Sudan grass
containing an admixture of johnson
grass A method has been discovered
whereby it is possible to identify, with
reasonable certainty, the seed Of John
son grass when it is mixed with that of
Sudan grass. This method of seed ex-
animation, however, cannot be consid-
cred as an unfailing protection against
of farmers fields with
johnson grass. A safer plan is for the
southern farmer to grow his own seed
where possible to purchase seed that
has been grown north of the johnson
grass area, that is, north Of line where
johnson grass persists in the soil as
perennial. In the. region where winter
freeses are severe enough to kill the
root-stocks very little
johnson grass is found. The only way
seed of it can occur in Sudan grass
seed, therefore, is through willful mix
ing Of the seed, but as johnson grass
seed cannot be grown SO cheaply as
Sudan grass seed there is now NO object
in such adulteration. Where reasonable
caro- n used by the seed grower to OBJ
tain pure seed with which to plant his
fields in the North, there then remains
little chance Of an admixture with seed
Of johnson grass. V. q
Many Of -tha farmers in ths South
will be forced to buy their seed, because
the presence Of the -sorgum midge In
humid parts Of the southern states In.
tsrferss seriously with seed prodnction.
The midgs il most abundant close to
the Gulf Of Mexico, and there its At
tacks result in almost complete sterility
of the Sudan grass. Farther north in
these states, where the midge is not 80
abundant nor 10 uniformly present
throughout the summer, partial crop
Of seed often can be obtained, and in
some cases full crop Of seed will set
during = period whom the nidgs is not
present. sLs as r,ai,si
In the dry atmosphere farther west
the midge IL not troublesome, and in
Arizona, New Mexico and Californla,
1arOa via1ds AZ aaAd can ha ohkainAd