San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-11
FORAGE CROPS
BEING URGED
ASPROF|TABLE.
Crops Marketed Through
Livestock Said to Be
More Successful.
MORE FEED Is NEEDED
Chamber of Commerce
Agent Tells What
to Plant. 49,,

High cost of feed and forage dur
ing the year with proportionate in
crease in the price of milk, meat,
and eggs has illustrated the need Of
more time aud acreage given to rails
ing forage crops, according TO c. II.
Alvord of the agricultural depart
ment of the Chamber of Commerce.
Mr.. Alvord said that more revenue
can be derived from crops marketed
through livestock than from those
sold in bulk. :,
"Of course he said, ain period
Of high prices such as the one just
passed through. there is large pro-
fit in selling surplus feed. However,
these conditions do not exist every
year and in the long run, marketing
through live stock is the safer and
better proposition
During the last season, he said.
the ranchman and dairyman W ho qld
not raise enough feed to last through
the winter and who had to buy ON
the open market lost money To
avoid a repetition of this he urges
more feed and forage crops be planted.
Pastures should not be overstocked,
he said, and it is advisable for ranch
men to cultivate small areas in for
age crons such as red top cane, Sudan
Grass, or other of the grain sor-
ghums from which the stock can be
fed during the dry season.
How To Plant Sorghuns.
Almost all ranches, he said, have
some fertile valley land that can be
cultivated. In many instances these
valleys are sub-irrigated and with a
little cultivation will produce more
feed on one acre than can be produc-
ed on three acres of hilly land. Ac-
cording to Mr.. Alvord, Sudan Grass
and grain sorghum can be grown sue
cessfully in this western country.
Corn also can be raised. he said. How
ever. it is not as successful or re-
liable a feed crop as milo, kaffir
corn. or fetterita.
Because of the high cost Of seed
this spring he advises ranchmen in
this part of the state to plant sorghum
in rows instead Of broadcast. Sudan
Grass, he said, should also be plant
ed in rows three feet apart. This
not only is more economical but also
assures crop. Both Sudan Grass
and red top cane is scarcer this year
than il was last year. Mr.. Alvord
said. and the price consequently is
much higher. However, this should
not deter the ranchman from plant
ing the usual acreage or even an IN
creased acreage if planted in rows. II
planted in rows, he said, twenty
pounds of Sudan Grass or red top
cane seed will plant one acre.
Finds Profitable Alfalfa.
He said after much experimenting
It has been possible to develop an
alfalfa that. will grow successfully in
this part of the country. Hairy
Peruvian Alfalfa seed obtained from
the Yuma valley of Arizona has prov
en- most adaptable to this climate.
Good crops of this alfalfa have been
raised in the Laredo section, around
Austin and alsoAin the Pecos valley OF
West Texas. Mr.aAlvord advises those
who intend planting alfalfa this year
to secure seed from this southern
grown alfalfa. He advises planting
in October in order that the seed
can take root and begin to form &
crown before a severe freeze.
In speaking of using silo for stor-
ing the feed Mr.. Alvord said that he
believed the silo a profitable invest
ment. Many silos have been failures.
he said. however most failures have
resulted from improper construction.
While the silo has its place in both
intensive stock farming and ranching.
he said. it is not an absolute neces-
sity. Enough forage to last the
ordinary ranchman- and farmer can
be cured and used as hay or grain.
he said r.