The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-06-24
SUMMER FORAGE CROPS

SUMMER FORAGE CROPS
 Considerable land heretofore de voted to vegetable crops have been abandoned this season, due to eX- cessive wet weather, making it inn possible for farmers and truckers t9 prepare the land and get it in con dition to produce profitable crops. For this reason there has been a persistent demand on The Age-Aerald q for information as to what crops could be economically used to fill up the loss caused by inability to plant vegetable crops. The answe to these numerous inquiries, most of which have been handled personally through the mail is to the effect that forage or hay crops can be substi- tuted for the ordinary vegetable crops, and in most cases with good profits of course, if one has the stock to utilize forage and hay crops, a better profit may be generally shown; but even though one does not have the stock to feed grasses and forage crops to, he should be in formed that there is always an ac- tive and pressing demand for any such crops when he happens to be located near any city. For example. there Is always an active demand in Birmingham for any sort of country raised hay, even though it be common sorghum, johnson grass or sudan grass, and the average farmer would be surprised that even In small towns. there is always a pressing demand and good price that may be obtained for properly cured hay, or any other form of rougnness.
 Cotton and corn Is not the only thing that brings in the money. A splendid load of hay will sell quicker. even in village. than load of any other farm produce, yet it would be hard to convince the farmer that such Is the case.
 The writer urges every farmer to try crop of sudan grass, not only for his own stock, but for a sale crop, in order to bring in money. Anyone trying such crop and will take pains to produce good quali- ty hay. will quickly find out that ton of properly cured sudan grass hay will sell even quicker than q bale of cotton.
 LATE CORN
 Thousands of acres of land in Ala . bama that was intended to be plant ed in corn this year have been aban- doned, owing to excessive rams, and the fact that 1t has not been possi- ble to prepare the ground. It is the opinion of the writer that the acreage planted to corn in Alabama this year will be greatly reduced for this very reason It is a curious fact that many Alabama farmers, who are unable to plant their corn land as early as April or May. will abandon such land to grasses, or rather weeds; aSsum = Ing that it is too late to plant corn.
 Now. as a matter of fact, splendid crops of corn can be produced in Alabama planted any time in June or July. One of the best crops of corn the writer ever saw in Alabama was planted on July the 26th, and the variety was prolific sort, and ordinarily late variety. There are numerous varieties of corn if planted in June or July will make roasting ear in 55 or GO days and will produce corn hard enough to grind for meal within S5 % DO days after plant ing. No farmer can dispute this, yet, because weather conditions does not permit him to put in his crop of corn when he is accustomed to do so, he concludes that it is too late 70 plant corn. abandons the crop altogether and takes his hard-earned money. made from some other crop, to buy ms needed corn supply for the fol- lowing season. There are any num- Der of varieties of corn that may be planted the last of June or even un to the last of July because 1t Is a well known fact that the later corn Is planted the quicker it natures. and while some varieties that might be planted in April will require a hun dred days to become hard, the same variety if planted in June and July. will become hard in 65 to 75 days. This Is one of natures laws of repro auction, and applies not only to corn. but to various flowers and many oth- CT plants.
 There is now insistent inquiries for various varieties of seed corn, and this article is to advise that variety does not make so much difference because. generally speaking. any va riety of corn planted this month In worth Alabama and south will have plenty of time to mature before any them.