The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1921-02-24
KANSAS STATE ACRIcULTuRAI
COLLEGE

KANSAS STATE AGRICULTURAL
COLLEGE
Seed Bed Preparation for Grain
Sorghums
Milo, kafir and feterita produced
the fourth most valuable crop raised
in Kansas during the past five years.
while only six years ago the yield of
these crops was SO small that no sep
arate report was made of them in the
Annual Kansas Crop Report. The
grain sorghums are rapidly becoming
recognized over Kansas, and especial
ly over the western half of the state,
as the surest and safest grain feed
crop. Each succeeding year should
see larger acreage planted to these
crops.
The grain sorghums, as well as
other sorghums, are slow growing
crop in the early spring when the
weather and soil are cold, but they
are strong, vigorous growers when
the soil and weather warm up in the
summer time. Therefore, it is usual
Iy waste Of time and seed to plant
them in the early spring. The results
Of the Fort Hays Experiment Station
show that early seeding is not best.
However, early cultivation or prepar-
alton before seeding yields large divi-
dends.
Late fall or early spring cultivation
or preparation collects and retain
moisture; at the same time it aerates
the soil so that it warns up faster.
The cultivation also kills weeds that
would otherwise sap the soil moisture
and crowd out the young plants be-
fore they become well started.
Preparation for Kafr
According to A L. HaIIsted, who is
stationed at the Fort Hays Experiment
Sation by the Kansas State Agricult-
ural College and the u. S. Depart
ment of Agriculture, the following
figures show the average Of the re-
suits secured at the Hays Station dur
ing the years 1914 to- 1920:
Blu. per acre
Fall listed, spring narrowed, list
ed in old furrow ---------- 20. 5
Fall listed, spring narrowed,
ridges split and seeded - 25.1
Early spring listed, spring cult
waited when necessary to kill
weeds, listed in old burrows 25.S
Spring disked, listed and planted 2O.4
No cultivation, listed and plant
ed ---------------------------------- 1914
The above experimental data in
dictate that late fall listing is some
better than very early spring blank
disking as preparation for I1afir. The
fall listing yields four bushels more
to the acre than does the correspond
ing spring listing. It also indicates
that blank listing with subsequent
cultivation to kill weeds and reopen.
ing the old burrows is better than
blank listing and splitting the ridges
and planting in new burrows. The
former method in a seven year aver
age gave 29.5 bu. per acre, while the
later method gave 25.2 bushels pei
acre.
The greater difference is shown be
tween spring cultivation before plant
ing and no cultivation before plant
ing. When kafr was listed without
any previous cultivation, the yielc
was 1874 bushels per acre. One disk
ing before listing conserved the mois
ture and killed the weeds; giving
yield OF 20.4 bushels per acre. Thi
gave an increase of 40 bushels pc
acre to pay for the disking. Earl!
spring blank listing followed by /:
cultivation, when necessary to kill tn,
weeds, and listing and planting in tn
old burrows gave 1858 bushels pc
acre, or an increase OF 80 bushels t
pay for the extra cultivation.
Allowing 'sfall listed, spring han
rowing and listed in old burrows" {
represent 1909 crop, then "earl
spring listed cultivated to XIII weed
and listed in old burrows" gave $50
crop. s.Spring disked and listed
gave 1000 crop, while 'no cultivatio
listed gave $3.50 OF q crop; or 10
every 100 bushels grown on give
acreage by .tfan listing spring hal
rowing and listing in old burrows,
"earIy spring listed cultivated to XII
weeds when necessary and listed !
old burrows would give SO bushels
and ssspring disked and listed woni
give 20 bushels, while "no cultivatio
and listed would give only Sc bush
els L. E. Willoughby,
Kansas State Agricultural Coileg
Extension Service.
Wis Wild Animals.
wild animals know where they car
aa.--.A..4so. .nrs q IInifed state.