The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1917-06-16
EMERGENCY CROPS.

Unfavorable weather, seed and la
Dor shortages, failure Of seed 70 ger
inmate. and a host Of other Affections
OF the farmer have kept crops OFF
many Michigan fields this spring The
harvest prospect might be discourag-
ing in the sections where this has
happened, say farm crops men OF the
Michigan Agricultural college. If II
were not for the fact that there Is
still time 10 get In emergency crops
as "life savers" Fields may still be
seeded to buckwheat soy beans, mil
let, sorghum. Sudan grass, rape and
nat turnips.
where fields are still implanted,
che land should be thoroughly disced
. or replowed and planted TO crops
which will give profitable return In
grass or forage" Prof J. f. Cox, head
of the farm crops department, rec
4. 81
"As a late seeded grain crop, buck
planted In late June, though II can
be seeded as late as mid-July with
assurance OF a crop. since IL natures
In from sixty to seventy days II has
the additional virtue Of thriving in a
wide variety OF soils and will germ
mate in seed beds too dry for other
grains. The rate Of seeding ranges
from three TO five pecks, either drill
ed or seeded broadcast, and harrow
ed in.
Soy beans can be safely put in as
late az July J. They may be planted
in rows twenty-eight inches apart At
the rate OF one-halt bushel per acre
Tor grain, drilled and broadcasted at
the rate OF one bushel per acre for
hay purposes. The crop will furnish
a valuable leguminous hay which
serves excellently as substitute for
clover.
Millet is dependable crop to
plant as late as July Is. 1t furnish
es a large YIELD OF useful hay. Com
mon, German and Hungarian millet
give largest yields OF best quality.
one-half bushei per acre may be
drilled or broadcasted.
Sorghum. particularly the Early
Amber variety, is reliable crop to
seed where there is a shortage of
hay or or corn for silage For use in
the silo II should be drilled in rows
twenty-eight inches apart, by using
the ordinary grain drill with every
fourth drill running, and seeding at
the rate OF fifteen pounds per acre.
or planted with a corn planter In
rows thirty-six or forty-two inches
apart, using six pounds OF seed per
acre. Sorghum closely resembles
corn in appearance and should be
cultivated and put in the silo In the
same manner. This crop may be
safely seeded as late as mid-July. For
hay purposes II should be drilled
with every other drill open at the rate
of one bushel per acre.
Sudan grass is a promising seed
and forage crop for Michigan. For
seed purposes it should be drilled IN
late June In rows Just as sorghum Is
planted. at the rate OF six pounds
per acre and cultivated For hay II
may be drilled or seeded broadcast
at the rate OF twenty to thirty
pounds per acre as late as July Is.
Rape Is another crop which can be
seeded In midsummer and which
will furnish large amount OF late
summer or early fall forage for hogs,
sheep and cattle. The dwarf Essex
variety should be demanded and for
best results should be drilled in
rows twenty-five 10 twenty-eight
inches apart, at the rate OF two
pounds per acre. and cultivated
Good results can. however, be secur-
ed by drilling or broadcasting at the
rate Of ofur pounds per acre
Flat turnips may be seeded broad
cast in midsummer Planted at this
time they are usually broad-casted
using four pounds per acre, though
larger yields can be secured by
planting two or three pounds In
rows twenty 90 thirty inches apart