FOEAGE-CKOP EXPEKIMENTS AT SAN ANTONIO. 



11 



from the closer plantings and cultivation with the ordinary farm 

 machinery so much easier that undoubtedly a closer planting than 4 

 feet is advisable. 



Bate of seeding in rows. — In 1910 a test of Sumac sorghum in rows 

 4 feet apart, with the plants 1, 2, 4, and 6 mches apart in the row, 

 was attempted. Owing to poor germination there was not much 

 difference in the resulting stands of the different plats, so that the 

 results were of no comparative value. Table VI shows the yields of 

 this experiment as carried out in 1911, the rows being 4 feet apart 

 as before. The figures are based on averages of actual counts of 

 plants at the end of the growing season. 



Table VI. — Yields of Sumac sorf/hiun icith the jAants. different distances apart in the row. 



Distance between plants. 



Yield 

 per acre. 



Distance between plants. 



Yierd 

 per acre. 



2 inches 



Tons. 

 3. 30 

 2.76 



7 inches 



Tons. 

 2.05 





S inches 



1.97 









These results are defuiite and conclusive, as they show very clearly 

 the effect of reducmg the thickness of the stand. There has been 

 some discussion relative to the effect of thick seeding on the yields 

 in cultivated rows, and the foregomg results bear directly on this 

 question. Aside from the increased yields, the quality of the forage 

 is so much better in the thicker seedings that if the yield were some- 

 what less where thicker seeding is resorted to this method would 

 still be advisable. 



Hate of seeding test in 8-inch drills. — There appears to be a wide 

 difference of opmion in this locality regarding the proper rate to 

 seed sorghum broadcasted or m close-drilled rows. To throv/ some 

 light on the subject, the following test was made. 



On April 29, 1912, seven plats of one-tenth acre each were seeded 

 to Sumac sorghum in 8-inch drills, the rate of seeding varymg from 

 25 pounds to 174 pounds ])er acre. Table VII presents the results 

 of the experiment. 



Table VII. — Rate-of-seedinc/ test of Sumac sorf/hum in S-inch drills. 



No. of plat. 



Seed 

 per acre. 



Yield 

 per acre. 



1 



Pounds. 

 26 

 37 

 52 

 88 

 121 

 153 

 174 



Tons. 

 ■ 4.54 



2 



4.97 



3... 



5 12 





5.27 



5 



5.01 



6 



4.55 



7.. 



4.90 







[Cir. 106] 



