24 BULLETIN 68, U. S, DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



^Y}Leat. — Wheat is used for liog pasture as follows: 



(1) As soon as the surface of the ground is dry in the spring, about April 1, the 

 hogs are turned into the main crop of winter wheat that is grown for market. Some 

 prefer to use the winter wheat until it begins to joint; that is, for about a month or six 

 weeks. Others use it until the hogs begin to chew the heads of wheat, and still others 

 harvest with the hogs in the field. 



(2) Spring wheat sown the last of February or early in March is generally large 

 enough for pasture, 3 to 4 inches high, by May 1. By pasturing it rather closely it 

 will stay green until about July 1. 



(3) Summer pasture is provided by sowing either spring or winter wheat about May 

 1. Land that is sown at this date is plowed during the late fall, in the winter, or 

 very early in the spring. To destroy weeds and retain moisture it is kept thoroughly 

 cultivated from early spring until the wheat is sown. The pasture is ready for use in 

 about six weeks from date of planting. If grazed closely, it should remain green until 

 in August. 



Barley. — The common beardless barley is also sown in the early 

 spring and early in May for spring and summer pasture. Barley 

 comes more quickly and makes more feed than wheat. The hogs 

 also like it better than wheat up to the time it has headed olit. 



Corn and sorghum. — Field corn and several varieties of sorghum 

 are grown in a limited way in the dry portion of the wheat belt for 

 hog pasture. The principal varieties of sorghum are kafir, Jerhsalem 

 corn, milo, and Amber sorghum. Just which of these is most satis- 

 factory when grown as a grazing crop or to cut and feed green has not 

 been fully determined. On account of the succulency and high sugar 

 content of its stems as well as its habit of suckering after being cut or 

 eaten down, Amber sorghum is probably the best of the varieties 

 named above. The variety grown is locally known as Early Amber 

 sorghum. Field observations seem to indicate that Amber sorghum 

 is best adapted to the extremely dry districts where the altitude is 

 rather low, and corn to the higher districts. These crops need to be 

 further tested in limited areas to determine which are most profitable. 



Corn and sorghum are grown in much the same way. To be suc- 

 cessful, the preparation of the seed bed must receive special atten- 

 tion. Perhaps the most satisfactory way to prepare the land for 

 these crops is to plow during the late fall or winter and then cultivate 

 thoroughly from early spring until planting time. Sorghum is 

 planted a trifle later than corn, in rows 3 to 3^ feet apart with a gram 

 drill. The seed is dropped 10 to 15 inches apart in the row. To 

 firm the soil and cause the seed to germinate quickly, a corrugated 

 roller or subsurface packer is run just behind the drill. The cultiva- 

 tion is the same as that of com. The crop is either cut and fed green 

 or the hogs are turned into the field when the sorghum or corn is 

 14 to 18 inches high. The former method gives by far the most feed. 



Corn and sorghum are generally used in a 2-year rotation with 

 wheat or barley, the land being in sorghum or corn for summer green 

 feed one year and in barley or wheat to pasture or hog off the next. 



