FETERITA. A NEW VARIETY OF SORGHUM. 31 



The yields on farms about Cliillicothe, Tex., look more favorable 

 for feterita. In one case feterita planted on June 8, 1011, yielded 

 22 bushels to the acre. On this same farm, after corn had failed on 

 account of dry weather, the corn land was listed and 1.5 acres of 

 feterita planted on July 25. Every stalk produced a mature head, 

 and this field made about 30 bushels per acre. Milo and kafir planted 

 at the same time only partially headed. The rainfall from March 1 

 to December 1, 1911, Avas but 11.72 inches, and as the distribution was 

 decidedly unfavorable the season was a severe test on any crop. In 

 1912 the same farmer planted 8 acres on April 15. A representative 

 acre of this field, topped and thrashed by hand, made a yield of 51 

 bushels by actual wei^jht. 



Headed feterita Avill thrash out al)()ut the same percentage of grain 

 as milo or kafir. On the Chillicothe field station one lot of heads, 

 Aveighing 1,215 pounds, thrashed and cleaned 77.9 per cent, and an- 

 other lot of 255 pounds thrashed and cleaned 7G per cent of grain. 



FEEDING. 



The forage value of feterita is at least equal to and probably 

 superior to milo. For strictly forage purposes, however, it is ex- 

 celled by both kafir and the sorgos, or sweet sorghums. The heavy 

 proportion of grain makes it a very efficient feed for horses, cattle, 

 or sheep when used in the bundle. It also makes a good roughage 

 when fed in connection with concentrates for fattening. Like the 

 other sorghums, feterita is not particularly efficient as a milk pro- 

 ducer. For use as silage, feterita will probably be found equal to 

 any other sorghum. The grain itself is undoubtedly comparable to 

 milo or kafir, 10 bushels of it being equal to 9 or more bushels of 

 shelled maize in feeding value. Whether the softer grain of feterita 

 is an additional advantage in feeding remains to be determined. The 

 seed coats apparently contain no tannin. 



SEED SELECTION. 



Home-grown seed is generally more productive than seed brought 

 from a distance. This makes it desirable for every farmer to select 

 and save seed for his own planting. This practice is important Avith 

 feterita, because it is a new crop, somewhat variable and not fully 

 adapted, and also Ix'cause much natural crossing occurs Avith other 

 sorghums. Seed selections should be made at a distance of 100 yards 

 or more from other varieties. In all selections care should be taken to 

 avoid hybrids. Exceedingly large heads are generally the result of 

 hyln-ulization or of some local A^ariation in stand or in soil condi- 

 tions and are not usually desirable. The largest head from the least 



[Cir. 122] 



