20 GUAM AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



vacant places. Consequently clming the coming wet season a study 

 will he made of the effects of fertilizing and plowing upon increasing 

 both the stand and the production per acre. 



fetf:rita and kafik. 



Feterita and kafir were grown on about 1 acre of low-lying clay 

 soil. These crops were planted on November 12, 1914, in rows 8 feet 

 apart with 30 inches between the hills in the rows. Cultivation about 

 every two weeks was given with a 5-tooth cultivator. The feterita 

 was ripe and ready for harvesting February 4, 1915, while the kafir 

 heads were not matured until eight days later. After the crops had 

 been harvested, a second crop (ratoon) came on and matured small 

 heads. Heads were selected from the most desirable plants of the 

 first crop for furnishing seed for station use and for distribution. 

 Both crops of fodder were fed to cattle and horses without detri- 

 mental results. 



A further test was undertaken with these crops to determine the 

 effect of planting in the dry season. Both crops were planted Jan- 

 uary 8, 1915. Feterita reached maturity on March 23, 1915, and the 

 kafir on March 28, 1915. The heads in this case were well filled, but 

 the forage production was considerably less than from the crop 

 planted on Xovembor 13, 1914. It is interesting to note that the time 

 of planting had a marked effect upon the time required for maturity, 

 the first crop of feterita requiring 84 days to mature and the second 

 crop only 74. 



The qualities of feterita generally considered undesirable, as ob- 

 served in the southwestern portion of the United States, namely, side 

 branching, suckering, and shattering, were especially strong in the 

 first crop grown at the Guam station. In the later crop, shattering 

 was pronounced, but there was little side branching, or suckering. 

 The kafir did not prove as promising for the dry season here as did 

 feterita. This was especially true as regards attack b,y the principal 

 insect enemies of these crops, caterpillars of two common moths, 

 probably Cryptohhides sp. and Batrachedra sp. Few heads of 

 feterita were attacked, while most of the heads of the kafir were 

 affected. The grain sorghum crops make excellent chicken feed, 

 which is badly needed in Guam. 



COWPEAS AND SOY BEANS. 



As will be noted under the heading, " Pasture crops for hogs "' 

 (p. 22), cowpeas and soy beans grow well in Guam. They are 

 valuable additions to the list of crops that can be successfully grown. 

 Cowpeas would seem best suited for pasture purposes. Soy beans, 

 however, will doubtless become an important food crop of the natives. 



