The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1919-02-13
WHAT TO PLANT AND
WHEN TO PLANT 1T
The Lynn County News

The questions embodied in the
above caption are Of vital impor-
lance TO every farmer, and to very
great degree, to every citizen. for
upon the proper solution of these
questions rests the prosperity Of ey-
cry producer, and AS the producing
are the backbone Of every industry,
the general prosperity Of the country
depends largely upon a correct solu-
tior Of these questions.
As the adaptaoility Of West Texas
does not include so wide a range Of
varieties Of crops. as most other sec
tons Of the country, il would seem
that il would be easier to reach the
best answer to these questions here
than elsewhere. but in reality. II is
Just about as difficult for the West
Texas Farmer to decide what is the
best crop to plant, and when the best
time to plant il as il is for the farm
ers of any other section of the coun-
try, and in the case Of the time TO
plant given crop, il is even more
difficult to know just what is the
best course to pursue. This is true
because the planting season for the
crops best adapted to this section, ex
tends over i much longer period than
in other sections, and because the
seasons are less stable.
Grain sorghums and cotton are,
and doubtless will ever be. the chief
farm crops of most of West Texas,
and the question that presents Itself
to each and every farmer. this sea
son. as well az every season is, show
shall divide my acreage between
these two main crsps, and when shall
| plant each"
As yet there has been no absolute
answer to this question that can be
relied upon as being always the best.
but some valuable lessons have been
learned by long years Of observation
and experience, which may be used
as a partial guide in planning your
crop with reference TO the time Of
planting, as well as what TO plant.
With reference to grain sorghums,
the general rule is that the later
paintings. up to as late as the latter
part Of June for Milo and Feterita,
and up to the middle Of June for ka-
Fir, make the best yield and the best
quality Of grain. but every one who
has spent several years in West Tex
as has seen the time when this rule
did not work, but when the very earl
lest planting made the best yield and
the best grain. If you will recall the
seasons when This happened, you will
remember that we entered the season
with at least a fair supply of moisture
/ in the subsoi, which was sufficient
20 keep the young plants growing,
even though we got very little or no
rainfall in The early spring months,
We have the best supply Of moisture
in the soil now. that we have had for
4 years at this period. and this con-
dition justifies the planting Of AT
least small acreage of Milo and
Kafir at the earliest date there has
been sufficient warm, sur shiny
weather to put sufficient heat IN the
surface soil to terminate the seed
being careful that TIE seed are to be
planted in a well prepared, moist
seeded II it is possible to secure
and maintain a stand by planting his
early crop the latter part of March OF
low early part Of April, it
have sufficient time to produce ia
grain before the usual extremely hoi
dave If J,tiy aud AuouSt arrive II L