The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922, 1920-01-29
SUDAN IS A PLAINS MONEY CROP.
1T Is ALMOST A SURE CROP IN THE LUBBOCK COUNTRY
EVERY YEAR AND IT'S YIELD IS VERY HEAVY
THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT DEMAND FOR SEED
Especially This True of This Section Of the Country the
Grade High Many of Our Farmers Specialize Seed Pro-
duction and Keep il Absolutely Free from Mixtures.

The need Of drouth resisting
crop in this section prompted the
Agricultural sub-experiment station
near Lubbock 10 make some expert
ments in 1911 with Sudan grass for
he purpose Of finding a crop which
would grow in West Texas and ma
ture in spite Of lack Of rainfall. The
experiments at the farm proved that
this crop could be produced success
fully and after two years test the
seed Of Sudan grass was distributed
among the Plains farmers with IN
structions from the department Of
agriculture as TO how il should be
grown and how IL would produce.
The result is that today Sudan grass
is considered the second important
crop Of this section of the Plains
country and is growing in popularity
every year,
Sudan grass is a peculiar grass
which grows and natures extensive
iy with little moisture except what
can be taken from the soil and the
clay subsol which lies just below the
top soil and which absorbs and retains
moisture makes the growing Of the
grass exceptionally profitable even
though the rainfall is not sufficient
20 mature other crops, owing 70 the
small amount Of moisture necessary
20 mature this crop.
Sudan grass will grow a stock from
six 10 nine feet high although Il is
generally cut by the farmers before
i reaches this rank growth Two or
fkrA.a frlrt
a crop.
The success with Sudan grass in
West Texas and the publicity accord
ed the crop has spread 10 many other
states and constantly farmers in 9TH
er sections are making an effort to
grow the grass. In fact in 1913 the
seed raised by the farmers from
the seed distributed by the expert
ment station brought as high rs four
dollars per pound. there being such
a demand for H. or course with
the extensive growth OF the crop the
seed has not maintained such a high
market price bdt even az present
prices u IS very rcmunerative crop
IN that soc 20 1890 pounds can be
raised on n single acre and such pro-
MltlitH NHt AiI'u0f NFtM q iNf AtiIir
ed in the Plains country. One far
mer living close 20 Lubbock stated
that he seed from hrs crop will run
as high as 1900 pounds to the acre
The threshed straw makes good
feed and second crop Of fine hay
Is cut for second crop.
SO popular did the industry be-
come and 80 rapidly did the farmers
- the Plains country realize It's pos
= bilities that in 1914 Sudan Grass
Association was formed IN Lubbock
county and this association spent
several thousands OF dollars advertis-
ing the crop over the country with
the result that there Is a constant de-
mnnd for seed from West Texas.
One firm has contracted to secure
several car ios A. for shipping 70 the
Kansas City market whore il will be
handled Many % the progressive
farmers are also constantly doing re
search work in order to increase the
already high standard Of the crop and
adopt II possible more scientific
methods for the handling Of the crop
from a commercial standpoint
Prior 10 1915 the full possibilities
Of Sudan grass were not realized. II
was az first merely raised in this Sec
ton for the seed but the bankers.
stockmen and others who were inter