18 SUDAN GRASS. 
We cultivated the Sudan grass with a 5-tooth cultivator, very shallow the first 
time, May 25. Second cultivation, June <;. Light rain, not enough to sprout 
tlic dry seed still in the ground. June 20, cultivated the third time with 5-tooth 
cultivator, shallow. July 1, cultivated the grass the fourth and the last time. 
Being anxious to save the seed of this grass and thinking that every day 
would bring a rain to mature the seed 1 left it growing till August 18. On that 
date the grass was s feet <i inches high and so dense was the growth one could 
not pass between the 3-foo1 rows. 
I wish to state that on the same date, on the same land, and under the very 
same conditions, I planted kafir corn, milo maize, sorghum, and corn. All of 
these completely died out ; they could not withstand the terrible heat and 
drought. The thermometer registered from June 1 to the date of this report 
(September 4, 1912) 105° to 110° F. in the shade. All vegetation was sear and 
dead except Johnson grass, which grew from 1 foot to 18 inches high. Sudan 
grass showed no effects of the drought except the seed heads, which remained 
white. 
I do not know how far north this grass will grow, but I am satisfied there is 
no place too hot or dry for it if there is moisture enough to sprout the seed. 
I am a stockman and I have been testing grasses and clovers for the last 
35 years, with the result that I had to fall back on the sorghums, the very 
thing I was trying to avoid. 
Additional data were supplied in a supplemental report dated Jan- 
uary 24, 1913. 
I herewith send you a supplemental report on the Sudan grass. The grass 
was first cut on August 14, 1912. It made a large amount of feed. I would say 
at the rate of 4 tons per acre. 
A few days after being cut it began to grow from the stubble. Having no 
rain it grew slowly until Sepember 21, 1912. On that date we had our first rain 
since June, 1912. After that date it began to grow quickly until November 6, 
1912. November 1, 2, and 3 we had a severe frost which did not seem to hurt 
it at all. November G, a dry blizzard came down on us. Being afraid I was go- 
ing to lose the grass, I cut it and tied it. still green, in bundles and hauled it 
to the barn, where it cured and made me plenty of fine feed, it being 4 feet high 
at the time of cutting. If I had cut this at the proper time to make good feed, 
i. e., when the seed was in the boot, I could have cut it four times instead of 
twice, but I was anxious to save the seed. The terrible drought blasted the 
first crop and the frost prevented the second from maturing. 1 I exhibited at 
the Boerne fair, September 6 and 7, 1912. a bunch of this grass that measured 
10J feet high. Agents of the Agricultural Department, College Station. Tex.. 
who acted as judges at the Boerne fair, were astonished. They told me they had 
the grass drilled just as I had drilled mine and it only grew 4 feet high for them. 
Dr. W. O. Langdon, of Hutehins, Tex., grew Sudan grass in 1911 
and again in 1912. He thus reported his 1912 results, under date of 
August 18: 
The seed received this spring was planted in a little piece of ground in rows 
about 30 inches apart. It made a fine growth of an average of 6 feet. Much of 
it was nearly S feet high. When seed was ripe, about August 1. I cut it. It im- 
mediately began a second growth and is now nearly .'! feet high. The ground is 
covered with young plants from Shattered seed. I think it is the greatest for- 
age plant ever introduced into this section and that it will be worth millions to 
1 The blasting of the seed referred to by Mr. McCarthy is perhaps due to the work of 
the sorghum midge, which attacks Sudan grass, like other sorghums. 
[Cir. l-.".l 
