100 
IE BARTELDES 
SEED COMPANY 
NON-SACCHARINE SORGHUMS 
THEY STAND DRY WEATHER 
FIELD OF WHITE KAFFIR CORN— COURTESY OF KANSAS STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE 
Farmers of the west and middle west, where the annual rainfall is below thirty inches, should plant 
more Kaffir Corn, Milo Maize, Feterita and less corn. 
Many farmers of the middle west plant corn year after year, always failing, but always hoping that 
the next year will be the good corn year. If these farmers had planted a good acreage of Kaffir Corn or 
Milo Maize, they would have raised a good crop of grain and fodder in nearly every one of these years. 
There are two reasons why many farmers stick to corn; first, they do not understand the growing, 
harvesting or feeding value of Kaffir Corn, and, second, they are afraid they will not find a ready market 
for the grain. To these we wish to say that the growing and harvesting of Kaffir Corn is simple. The 
feeding value is almost as high as of corn, and it is now handled by practically all grain dealers. 
The records of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture on the value per acre of corn, kaffir, and milo, 
for the years from 1901 to 1913 present the best argument for the more extensive planting of Kaffir and Milo. 
Year 
1901. 
1902. 
1903. 
1904. 
"Value per Acre 
Corn Kaffir 
$ 3.21 $10.32. 
11.20 12.69. 
1905 10.10 
1906. 
1907. 
1908. 
1909. 
1910. 
1911. 
1912. 
1913. 
Average 8.76. 
Milo 
. $ 7.52 
9.61 
8.74 9.30 8.83 
7.81 9.73 10.25 
9.94 9.29 
9.89 9.19 8.32 
9.26 11.12 10.62 
11.70 10.88 9.32 
10.77 11.24 9.35 
8.89 12.92 10.26 
7.68 15.73 10.37 
12.13 13.81 12.53 
2.01 8.78 5.12 
11.41. 
9.24 
It is interesting to note that in 1913 — a dry year — there were 6,655,023 acres of corn yielding a crop 
valued at $13,378,475, while in the same year 1,403,731 acres of Kaffir Corn — -less than one-fourth as 
many acres as corn — yielded a crop valued at $12,324,131. In 1911 Kaffir Corn was worth $15.73 per acre, 
which is $3.60 more than the best corn yield. 
These figures are of the Kansas crop but the same conditions are no doubt true in other western states. 
There are many rules as to the planting of Corn, Milo and Kaffir. Mr. Cottrell, an authority on 
western conditions, suggests for Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas as follows: 
"Every farmer in eastern Kansas and eastern Oklahoma should grow some Kaffir. On the river 
bottoms, at least one-fourth of the acreage on each farm that is planted to corn should be planted to Kaffir. 
On the uplands Kaffir will outyield corn every year in both bushels and feed value. 
In central Kansas and central Oklahoma all uplands usually planted to corn, should be planted to 
Kaffir. It will produce a good yield of grain every year and in average years a large yield. On the up- 
lands Kaffir will produce from 50 to 100 per cent more feed value than corn. A small acreage on every 
bottom farm should be planted to Kaffir each year to guarantee feed for the teams and livestock in dry years. 
In western Kansas, western Oklahoma, and the Panhandle, all lands used for producing grain feed should 
be planted to either Kaffir or Milo, depending on the spring moisture condition and average rainfall." 
Mr. John Fields, Editor of the Oklahoma Farmer, has formulated a "Safe System," which every 
farmer in the west and southwest could very profitably adopt with modifications to fit local conditions: 
"Corn should be planted only on lands which have yielded not less than twenty-five bushels of corn to 
the acre at least one year in the last five. 
Every acre of rich, well drained bottom land, which does not overflow frequently, or for long periods 
of time, should be put to alfalfa as soon as possible. 
The smooth, tillable uplands and prairies should never be planted to corn. They should instead 
be planted to Kaffir, Milo or some other variety of sorghum for a sure crop of grain for feed or sale and 
for filling silos and for providing rough feed; to peanuts and cow peas for feed, forage and soil improve- 
ment; and to cotton, wheat, oats and broom corn for cash crops wherever soil and climate are suitable." 
