BULLETIN OF THE 



No. 188 



ontribution from the Bureau of Plcint Industry, Wm. A. Taylor, Chief. 

 March 15, 1915. 



THE IMPORTANCE OF THICK SEEDING IN THE PRODUCTION 

 OF MILO IN THE SAN ANTONIO REGION.^ 



By Stephen H. Hastings, FarTn Superintendent. 

 INTRODUCTION. 



One of the most important needs in the agriculture of the San 

 Antonio region of Texas is a dependable grain crop. For a number 

 of years, com was generally looked upon as the best grain crop for 

 the region, but it has not proved to be dependable. The small 

 grains are even less satisfactoiy. Because of the difficulties and 

 failures of local grain production, it has been necessary to import 

 a large proportion of the gi'ain needed for local consumption. 



Experiments have been conducted for several years at the San 

 Antonio Experiment Farm to determine whether or not the grain 

 sorghums could be depended upon to increase the local supply, as 

 well as to give some stability to local production. The two prin- 

 cipal grain crops of the region are oats and corn. The average yields 

 per acre of oats and corn from the rotation experiments for the past 

 six years and of early-planfced grain sorghum (milo) for the past four 

 years at the San Antonio Experiment Farm are shown in Table I. 



Table I . — Average yields of oats, com, and milo at the San Antonio Experiment Farm 

 for the years 1909 to 1914, indiisive. 



Year. 



Yield per acre (bushels) . 



Year. 



Yield per acre (bushels) . 



Oats. 



Com. 



Milo. 



Oats. 



Com. 



Milo, i 



1909 





9.8 

 8.0 

 10.6 



'"■i2.0 



1912 



26.76 

 11.70 

 15.70 



34.1 

 34.9 

 52.6 



40.0 ; 



47.7 ; 

 43.2 



1910 



10.70 

 8.50 



1913 



1911 



1914 







These figures indicate! that, in the main, milo gives larger yields 

 and is mor(^ d(!pendabl(! than either oats or corn. The average yield 

 per ncTc of oats for the past four years, 1 91 1 to 1914, was 15.7 bushels; 

 of corn, IVA.] bushels; whiles the average yield of milo for the same 

 period was 40 ]>usliels. The, hint three years have Iwon unusually 

 favorable for eoj-ii ])ro(lue1 ion ;iiid tliC! yields wen^ considerably 

 higher than may bo expected, as the average yield for the past eight 



' The cxfinrliapnts wnrn r.ondnf.loA In cooponitloii with (,hn Odifo ofCiinml liivi'stiKatlojj.s- 

 76831°— liull. IHH—ir, 1 



