24 BULLETIN 698, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTTJEE. 



distribution, but the scanty total and the long drought from June 1 1 

 until the end of July reduced yields very much. The average acre 

 yields produced by the leading groups were as follows: Milo, 19 

 bushels; Dwarf milo, 22.6 bushels; feterita, 24.5 bushels; and Dawn 

 kafir, 9.6 bushels. The standard kafirs averaged less than half as 

 much as the Dawn. 



The precipitation of 1913 was only 2 inches below normal and 

 therefore should have been sufficient for the production of good 

 crops. Owing to its very uneven distribution, however, the grain- 

 sorghum crops were almost complete failures. The table of daily 

 precipitation (p. 9) shows that the early summer was dry, that 

 most of the showers of June were too small in quantity to be effec- 

 tive, and that in the three months from June 12 to September 10 

 only one effective precipitation occurred, namely, that of July 25-28, 

 inclusive. Only the plants at the ends of the rows were able to 

 develop heads under these conditions. The rain of September 10-11 

 came too late to revive the others, and no yields were obtained. 



The year 1914 returned about a half crop. The winter of 1913-14 

 was unusually wet in its first half and abnormally dry in its second 

 half. January, February, and March, 1914, were "bone" dry. April 

 brought only light showers. The rainfall of May was above normal, 

 but the temperatures at sowing time were low, and rather poor 

 germination resulted. June was remarkably dry, and the scattered 

 rains of the first w6ek in July relieved the suffering plants but 

 temporarily. The drought of the remainder of July cut down the 

 number of heads that were able to emerge, but the rains of early 

 August were sufficient to mature these in spite, of the subsequent 

 drought. The average acre yields of the leading groups were as 

 follows: Milo, 11 bushels; Dwarf milo, 26.9 bushels; feterita, 18.5 

 bushels; and Dawn kafir, 14.7 bushels. 



In general, the seasonal conditions in 1915 were good. The total 

 precipitation recorded at the cereal field station was 25.1 inches, 

 while that recorded by the Weather Bureau observer in town was 

 27.6 inches, a difference of 2.5 inches. Either quantity is sufficient 

 for the growth of these crops, and the distribution was such that 

 growth was not interrupted at any time. While the rainfall in both 

 May and June was below normal, that of April was much above, and 

 the distribution in the two dry months was good. The three suc- 

 ceeding months were abnormally wet. The combined result was the 

 highest yields that have ever been obtained at the Amarillo Cereal 

 Field Station. The average acre yield of all lots of milo was 61.4 

 bushels; of Dwarf milo, 68.4 bushels; of feterita, 46.9 bushels; of 

 Blackhiill kafir, 51.9 bushels; and of Dawn kafir, 53.3 bushels. 



The season of 1916 was very dry and unfavorable to the grain 

 sorghums. The total precipitation recorded at the field station was 



