BULLETIN OF THE 



S 



No. 24:2 



Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry, Wm. A. Taylor, Chief. \ 

 June 19, 1915. 



CORN, MILO, AND KAFIR IN THE SOUTHERN GREAT PLAINS 



AREA: RELATION OF CULTURAL METHODS TO 



PRODUCTION. 



By E. F. Chilcott, W. D. Griggs, and C. A. Buemeistee, Assistants, Office of 



Dry-Land A griculture. 1 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Introduction 1 



Climatic conditions 2 



Soil 5 



Page. 



Experimental work 6 



Presentation of results 7 



General discussion 18 



INTRODUCTION. 



This bulletin embodies the results of a study of methods of pro- 

 duction of three important feed crops — corn, milo, and kafir — at 

 three field stations on the southern Great Plains. The data presented 

 have been obtained at Garden City, Kans., and at Dalhart and 

 Amarillo, Tex. Experimental work with these crops has been con- 

 ducted at Akron, Colo. ; Ha} 7 s, Kans. ; and Tucumcari, N. Mex. ; but 

 the results obtained at these stations are not included in this study. 

 At Akron very little grain has been produced by either milo or 

 kafir, and it is generally conceded that this station is beyond the 

 northern limit at which these crops can be profitably grown at this 

 altitude. At Hays the small size of the plats used in the experi- 

 mental work has subjected milo and kafir to influences, such as rav- 

 ages by insects, that are not ordinarily experienced under field condi- 

 tions. The data are therefore not sufficient to permit adequate com- 



1 During the progress of this work, the following assistants in the Office of Dry-Land 

 Agriculture have had charge of the details of the investigations : R. W. Edwards, 1911 

 and 1912, and J. G. Lill, 1913 and 1914, at Garden City, Kans. ; F. L. Kennard, 1908 to 

 1910, and C. B. Brown, 1913 and 1914, at Dalhart, Tex. ; and L. E. Hazen, 1911 and 1912, 

 at Amarillo, Tex. The work at Amarillo, Tex., is in cooperation with the Office of Cereal 

 Investigations of the United States Department of Agriculture, while at Garden City, 

 Kans., it is in cooperation with the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station. The Bio- 

 physical Laboratory has cooperated in obtaining the meteorological data reported. 



Note. — This bulletin is intended for all who are interested in the agricultural possi- 

 bilities of the southern Great Plains area. 

 92230° — Bull. 242—15 1 



