Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-08-17
Sudan Grass Second
Line of Defense

Ten years after its introduction to
the United States from Khartum.
Africa, Sudan grass was being sue
cessfully grown in nearly all parts Of
the United States. 1t does not serve
well either as a money crop" or
SOIL improver, hence it may never find
a permanent place in regular crop ro-
tations. 1t has. nevertheless, a very
important place in the farmers Sec
ond line Of defense as a catch crop
which can be planted to give salts.
factory returns when conditions have
brought failure to other hay crops.
This is the verdict pronounced by the
United States Department Of Agri.
culture in Farmers Bulletin 1925 re.
Gently issued
Sudan grass is replacing millet az
the premier catch crop in many To-
calities because Of it's ability to pro-
duce q fair yield and high quality
Of hay under conditions Of low rain
fall. It's rather short growing season.
and its ability to thrive on a wide
range Of soil types. Large yields OF
Sudan grass are obtained only ON
good soils, but the grass balls COM
pletely only on cold, poorly drained
land.
EquaIs Alfalfa IN Yield.
Sudan grass produces heavily. IN
California Under irrigation It has
made yields Of 9.8 tons Of field-cured
hay an acre, when alfalfa produced
S.3 tons under like conditions; It
ordinarily yields about the same as
alfalfa under irrigation in tho SOUTH
west, but Sudan grass gives its full
crop, in three cuttings against the
four or five required for alfalfa. It Is
the only grass yet found which in
this part Of the United States ranks
as the equal Of alfalfa in point OF
yield and quality Of the hay. It's re-
cord 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
United States where the department.
considers 1t unwise to depend 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 wes-
tern states; and also most Of Florida
and a, narrow strip Of land along the
gulf coast. Low temperatures prevent
success with the grass in tho first
two regions named, and disease is the
limiting factor along the gulf coast.
In majority of the central and
southern states, however climatic and
soil conditions are favorable to SUI
dan grass.
Attic Sudan grass Is best adapted
by nature to use as hay crop, 1t is
also used with great success as a
soiling and pasture crop for summer
pastures. Its use as q silage material
is limited by the fact that 1t is easily
made into hay and fed as such with
very little waste, and also because
corn and sorghum both outyield It
and are generally available thruout
the region where Sudan grass is
grown.
Natures More Evenly.
In the semiarid districts the highest
yields are obtained when the grass isS
sown In rows so as to allow cultiva-
ton. The advantage in yield OF the
row over the drilled seedlings ds so
small. however, that most farmers
prefer to avoid the necessity Of cul-
tivation by drilling or broadcasting
seed. A common grain drill handles
well -cleaned Sudan grass seed with
out trouble, and the hay from drilled
seedlings is finer stemmed and ma
lures more evenly than row paintings.
The feeding value of Sudan grass
is equal to timothy hay. In localities
where soy beans or cowpeas do well
these legumes may be grown in mix
lures with the Sudan grass. Such
mixture produces a Aay Of higher
feeding value than the grass alone.
because 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 dis
lance from any sorghums. otherwise
it. will result In a mongrel crop the
following year.