The Coconino sun., 1920-08-13
SUDAN GRASS IS
 VALUABLE CROP

Ten years after it's introduction to the United States from Khartum, Af- rica, Sudan grass was being success fully grown in nearly all parts of the United States. It does not serve well either as money crop" or soil inn prover, hence, it may never find per- manent place in regular crop rotations. It has nevertheless, very important place in the farmers second line of defense as catch crop which can be planted to give satisfactory returns when conditions have brought failure dict pronounced by the United States ers' Bulletin l126 recently published.
 Sudan grass is replacing millet as the premier catch crop in many local ities because of its ability to produce fair yield and high quality of hay under conditions of low rainfall, it's rather short growing season, and it's ability to thrive on a wide range of soil types. Large yields of Sudan grass are obtained only on good soils, but the grass fails completely only on cold, poorly drained land.
 Equals Alfalfa in Yield.
 Sudan grass produces heavily. In California under irrigation it has made yields of 9.S tons of field-cured hay an acre, when alfalfa produced but S3 tons under like conditions; it ordinar- fly yields about the same as alfalfa under irrigation in the southwest, but Sudan grass gives its full crop in three cuttings against the four five requir- ed for alfalfa. It is the only grass yet found which in this part of the United States ranges as the equal of alfalfa in point of yield and quality of the hay. Its record in this respect has led to its use in patching" old alfalfa fields when the stand of alfalfa has been destroyed. In the southern great plains, where there is low rainfall, Sudan grass grown without irrigation will yield from one to three tons of hay to the acre.
 There are certain parts of the Unit ed States where the department of ag- riculture considers it unwise to de- pend on Sudan grass for hay. This is true of the strip of territory 200 miles wide along the northern boundary;the regions of high attitudes in the west ern states; and also most of Florida and a morrow strip of alnd along the Gulf coast. Low temperatures pre- first two regions named, and disease is the limiting factcr along the Gulf coast. In majority of the Central and Southern States, however, climatic and soil conditions are favorable to Sudan grass.
 Although Sudan grass is best adapt ed by nature to use as hay crop, it is also used with great success as a soiling and pasture crop for summer pastures. Its use as silage is limited by the fact that it is easily made into hay and fed as such with very little waste, and also because corn and sor- ghum both outyield it and are gener- ally available throughout the region where Sudan grass is grown.
 Natures More Evenly.
 In the semiarid districts the highest yields are obtained when the grass is sown in rows so as to allow of cultiva- ton. The advantage in yield of the row over the drilled seedlings is so small, however. that most farmers pre- fer to avoid the necessity of cultiva- tion by drilling or broadcasting the seed. A common grain drill handles well-cleaned Sudan grass seed without trouble, and the hay from drilled seed ings is finer stemmed and natures more evenly than row plantings.
 The feeding value of Sudan grass is equal to timothy hay. In localities where soy beans or cowpeas do we'll these legumes may be grown in mix lures with the Sudan grass. Such a mixture produces a hay of higher feed ing value than the grass alone, be- cause of the high protein content of the legumes.
 Sudan grass hybridizes freely with the sorghums. It is necessary, there fore, if pure seed is produced, to have the Sudan grass field at some distance from any sorghums, otherwise it will result in a mongrel crop the following year.
 The department of agriculture's new bulletin goes very thoroughly into the details of cropping, planting, harvest ing-both for hay and for seed-as well as the best methods of feeding the hay to live stock.