18 SUDAN GRASS. 



We cultivated the Sudan grass with a 5-tootli cultivator, very shallow the first 

 time, May 25. Second cultivation, June G. Light rain, not enough to sprout 

 the dry seed still in the ground. June 20, cultivated the third time with 5-tooth 

 cultivator, shallow. July 1, cultivated the grass the fourth and the last time. 



Being anxious to save the seed of this grass and thinking that every day 

 would bring a rain to mature the seed I left it growing till August IS. On that 

 date the grass was S feet 6 inches high and so dense was the growth one could 

 not pass between the 3-foot rows. 



I wish to state that on the same date, on the same land, and under the very 

 same conditions, I planted kafir corn, milo maize, sorghum, and corn. All of 

 these completely died out; they could not withstand the terrible heat and 

 drought. The thermometer registered from June 1 to the date of this report 

 (September 4, 1912) 105° to 110° F. in the shade. All vegetation was sear and 

 dead except Johnson grass, which grew from 1 foot to 18 inches high. Sudan 

 grass showed no effects of the drought except the seed heads, which remained 

 white. 



I do not know how far north this grass will grow, but I am satisfied there is 

 no place too hot or dry for it if there is moisture enough to sprout the seed. 



I am a stockman and I have been testing grasses and clovers for the last 

 85 years, with the result that I had to fall back on the sorghums, the very 

 thing I was trying to avoid. 



Additional data were .supplied in a .supplemental report dated Jan- 

 uary 24, 1913. 



I herewith send you a supplemental report on the Sudan grass. The grass 

 was first cut on August 14, 1912. It made a large amount of feed, I would say 

 at the rate of 4 tons i>er acre. 



A few days after being cut it began to grow from the stubble. Having no 

 rain it grew slowly until Sepember 21, 1912. On that date we had our first rain 

 since June, 1912. After that date it began to grow quickly until November 6, 

 1912. November 1, 2, and 3 we had a severe frost which did not seem to hurt 

 it at all. November 6, a dry blizzard came down on us. Being afraid I was go- 

 hig to lose the grass, I cut it and tied it, still green, in bundles and hauled it 

 to the barn, where it cured and made me plenty of tine feed, it being 4 feet high 

 at the time of cutting. If I had cut this at the proper time to make good feed, 

 i. e., when the seed was in the boot, I could have cut it four times instead of 

 twice, but I was anxious to save the seed. The terrible drought blasted the 

 first crop and the frost prevented the second from maturing.' I exhibited at 

 the Boerne fair, September 6 and 7, 1912, a bunch of this grass that measured 

 10* feet high. Agents of the Agricultural Department, College Station, Tex., 

 who acted as judges at the Boerne fair, were astonished. They told me they had 

 the grass drilled just as I had drilled mine and it only grew 4 feet high for them. 

 Dr. W. O. Langdon, of Hutchins, Tex., grew Sudan grass in 1911 

 and again in 1912. He thus reported his 1912 results, under date of 



August 18: 



The seed received this spring was planted In a little piece of ground in rows 

 about 30 inches apart. It made a fine growth of an average of G feet. Much of 

 it was nearly 8 feet high. When .seed was ripe, about xlugust 1, I cut it. It im- 

 mediately Legan a second growth and is now nearly 3 feet high. The ground is 

 covered with young plants from shattered seed. I think it is the greatest for- 

 age plant ever introduced into this section and that it w ill be worth millions to 



1 The blasting of the seed referred to by Mr. McCarthy is perhaps due to the work of 

 the sorghum midge, which attaclis Sudan grass, like other sorghums. 

 ICir. 125] 



