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HoUinger Corp. 
 pH 8.5 
 
IB 193 
 M58 
 opy 1 
 
 ORAGE 
 
 -OR- 
 
 HAY CROPS 
 
 For additional copies of this Pamphlet, and 
 
 also Books on the cultivation of other crops 
 
 address 
 
 F. S. WHITE 
 
 Agricultural and Horticultural 
 Commissioner 
 
 Frisco Bidg. 
 
 ST. LOUIS, MO. 
 
 BUXTON & SKINNER PRINTERS.ST. LOUIS 
 
LIST OF 
 
 PUBLICATIONS 
 
 THE Agricultural and Horticultural De- 
 partments are constantly issuing Bulletins 
 covering various farm topics, and are desirous 
 of placing them in the hands of every farmer 
 along our lines. 
 
 Bulletins on the following subjects are 
 now ready for distribution, and will be mailed 
 free to all who send their addresses: 
 
 Grasses and Clovers, 
 
 Commercial Potato Growing, 
 
 Apple and Peach Growing, 
 
 Alfalfa Growing, 
 
 Sm.all Fruits, 
 
 Improvement and Cultivation of Wheat, 
 
 Truck Farming, 
 
 Forage or Hay Crops, 
 
 Fertilizers and Soil Fertility. 
 
 Improvement and Cultivation of Corn, 
 
 Hemp Growing, 
 
 Live Stock and Poultry. 
 
 For any of the above bulletins, or 
 
 for any information pertaining to 
 
 Agriculture and Horticulture , 
 
 Address 
 
 F. S. WHITE 
 
 Agricultural and Horticultural 
 Commissioner 
 
 Frisco Bidg, ST. LOUIS. MO. 
 
\}o' 
 
 
 UB«AHVofCONeR£SSJ 
 TwoCoDV Received ' 
 
 NOV 8 i9or 
 
 Ootvrltnt Entry 
 
 'COPY B. 
 
 Copyright, 1907, 
 
 BY 
 
 F. S. White, 
 
 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI. 
 
CORRECTIONS, 
 
 On page 14, under the heading KAFFIR CORN, 
 the second paragraph should read as follows: 
 "There are a great many varieties of Kaffir 
 Corn; in fact, we have a line of plants that 
 ma}' be properly termed or classed with the 
 non-saccharine sorghums. Some of these 
 are the Milo Maize, Jerusalem Corn and 
 Broom Corn. Such plants as Broom Corn 
 Millet, African Corn or African Millet may 
 be classed with the family of millets. In fact, 
 there has been no little confusion in trying 
 to properly classify this family of plants." 
 
 On page 16, under the heading JERUSALEM 
 CORN, the paragraph should read as follows: 
 "This is regarded by many growers as the 
 surest and best crop for all dry countries, 
 even better than Kaffir Corn. It grows 
 from three to six feet tall, makes one large 
 head on the main stalk, which, soon after 
 forming, turns or goosenecks over towards 
 the ground. It is not uncommon to see 
 from four to eight side shoots with 
 heads on one stalk. It is often .used 
 for parching, for breakfast foods, and the 
 seeds are ground and mixed with our 
 buckwheat, from which our breakfast cakes 
 are often made. The grains are pure 
 white and nearly flat. The leaf develop- 
 ment is about the same as that of Kaffir 
 Corn. When sown in drills, three feet apart, 
 five pounds of seed will plant one acre." 
 
 On page 33, under the heading GERMAN OR 
 GOLDEN MILLET, the second paragraph should 
 read as follows: 
 
 "Seedsmen usually list two varieties of this 
 Millet, the Common and the True Tennessee 
 German Millet. The soil and climate of Ten- 
 nessee seem to be ideal for the production of 
 the seed of this millet and so the claims that 
 Tennessee grown seed produces the best 
 crops seem to be well founded." 
 
On page 39, under the heading JOHNSON 
 GRASS, the fourth paragraph should read as fol- 
 lows: 
 
 "It grows from three to ten feet high accord- 
 ing to soil and is set from the ground up with 
 thick blades which furnish the greater part 
 of its feeding value." 
 
 On page 42 the second paragraph should reac 
 as follows: 
 
 "The question is often asked me, 'Is there 
 any way by which we can rid our fields of 
 it?' To this question, let me suggest this 
 plan." 
 
 On page 45, under the heading ORCHARI 
 GRASS AND CLOVER, the first paragrapl, 
 should read as follows: 
 
 "In many sections of our country, Orchard 
 
 Grass and Clover form abetter combination, 
 
 etc." 
 
Introductory. 
 
 In the perusal of this book, the reader should 
 keep in mind that no writer can give information 
 that will answer for all soils, climates and con- 
 ditions. No stereotyped rule can be given that 
 will hold good for all soils and climates. The 
 farmer is a creature of circumstances and is, or 
 should be, governed largely by local surround- 
 ings, soil and climatic conditions. What every 
 farmer in every section needs mostly to make 
 farming a success is a good supply of common 
 sense that will enable him to know how to take 
 full ' advantage of his local surroundings. A 
 sensible farmer can select from a work of this 
 kind such information as is best adapted for his 
 local surroundings. I have never written a 
 book thinking that I could meet all requirements, 
 but instead I write these bulletins from a practi- 
 cal standpoint keeping in mind all the time that 
 there are but few farmers who cannot find in 
 them some good points that may be turned to 
 good advantage on their farms. With this view 
 of the case my advise to the reader is to read 
 this work with care, select that which applies to 
 your case and put the same to practical use. 
 
 Remember, that in this busy age of the world 
 that the average farmer cannot take time to read 
 volumes in order to get a few practical ideas. 
 So I have condensed in my books the practical 
 experiences of the most successful farmers of the 
 w^orld, and have these experiences condensed so 
 that the reader can sit down and read one of 
 these books through in an evening, go right out 
 the next day and put into practice the informa- 
 tion that applies to his local conditions. 
 
 Where this book fails to give the information 
 needed on any point the reader should wiite 
 to me giving full description of his soil and gen- 
 eral conditions. With this information, I may 
 be able to serve you better. 
 
 1 
 
How to Do Things. 
 
 rule.-^ 
 
 Coming in contact, as I am, with farmer 
 all parts of the country, I find that, as a rule, 
 farmers care very little for big words or long 
 descriptions, history or origin of varieties. What 
 the farmer wants is information regarding soils 
 best suited for the various crops he is growing 
 when and how to prepare the soil, when to plant, 
 how to cultivate, when and how to harvest and 
 when and how to market, so as to obtain the 
 best results and greatest profits. These are the 
 questions I shall endeavor to answer in this 
 bulletin, and if in any case I have failed to 
 answer them to the satisfaction of the reader, 
 further information will be given upon applica- 
 tion. 
 
 Copyrighted. 
 
 While it is my desire to impart as much general 
 information as possible upon man y^ agricultural 
 subjects, yet I very much dislike to see my writ- 
 ings so liberally quoted and copied from and 
 no credit given to the author. So I have decided 
 hereafter to copyright all my books, and notice 
 is here given that all rights are reserved and will 
 be protected. 
 
FORAGE OR HAY CROPS, 
 
 How to Grow, Harvest and Cure. 
 
 By F. S. White. 
 
 The crops most important, after our clovers 
 and grasses, are our plants from which we make 
 hay. Of this line of plants we have a great num- 
 ber to choose from. Like the clover and grass 
 families, we have hay plants suited for all soils 
 and climates. Many of these plants furnish 
 both pasture and hay, but as a rule crops wanted 
 for hay should not be pastured. If pasture is 
 wanted, sow for pasture, but do not expect the 
 same crops to furnish an abundance of both hay 
 and pasture. Our hay crop is fast becoming a 
 leading crop and more attention is given to this 
 crop each year. New plants for hay are being 
 introduced and old ones improved. Our hay 
 crop is supplementary to our grasses and clovers, 
 for in order for us to get the best results from our 
 grasses and clovers they should be followed by 
 the use of hay. There are seasons and times 
 when our grass crops or pastures become short 
 from dry weather or from over pasturingl'and 
 during such times we should have an abundance 
 of these forage or hay crops to feed our stock in 
 order that we may not lose the flesh the stock 
 have gained from pastures. Then again, hay 
 crops are or can be cheaply grown and quickly 
 harvested and saved especially when the weather 
 conditions are just right. However, in this as 
 in fall other farm operations the farmer has to 
 take chances. There are many reasons why our 
 
hay crops deserve better attention. In " the 
 first place, providing an abundance of hay is a 
 business proposition, as a good supply of hay on 
 any farm greatly reduces the grain bill, and be- 
 sides it is not best to feed stock too much grain. 
 With a good supply of clean, bright hay, work 
 horses and mules can go through the summer's 
 crop work in fine condition, and will give far 
 more service than if fed largely on grain. 
 
 While we have been increasing the average yield 
 and tonnage of our hay crops each year, yet, the 
 price and demand for good hay has also been 
 on the increase and good hay is in greater de- 
 mand at higher prices now than ever before. 
 The government report on our hay crop for 1906 
 placed the value of the crop as being worth $600,- 
 000,000.00, yet with this enormous amount of 
 hay we were short of the demand. Our hay 
 crop is yet in line with our other great crops of 
 this country in this respect: that we should 
 have grown every ton of hay produced in the 
 United States in any year of our past history on 
 half the acres we have devoted to the crop. 
 
 There is on old saying, ' 'Whoever could make 
 two blades of grass to grow where only one grew 
 before would deserve better of mankind than 
 the whole race of politicians put together," and 
 this saying is a true one. 
 
 Now, in writing this book, I want to assist the 
 farmers who live along our lines with informa- 
 tion that will enable them to increase the yield 
 and profits of their hay crops. In order to do 
 this, we must first have good soil and this soil 
 must have the right kind of preparation and 
 plant food. The question of soils suited for 
 each of the hay plants mentioned will be treated 
 under the heading of each variety. 
 
 Another very important feature is the man- 
 agement and handling of the hay after the crop 
 is grown, so that it may be well enough to give 
 here a few pointers on this part of the subject so 
 as to get the best results and greatest profits. 
 As the time when the hay is harvested has much 
 to do in determining the value of the crop, I 
 will first take up this subject. 
 
When to Cut Hay Crops. 
 
 The leaves or blades of nearly all our hay- 
 plants contain a large per cent of the feeding 
 value, so to get the best results from our hay 
 plants they should be cut before they become 
 so ripe as to cause the leaves or blades to shed 
 off in the handling of the crop. The hay crop 
 should not be allowed to become dead ripe be- 
 fore cutting. In such a case the leaves not only 
 shed off but the stems becom^e hard and woody 
 and hay made from such crops has but little 
 value. The best time to harvest the hay crop' 
 is when the plants are in full bloom. This varies 
 with the different ha^^ plants, so that further in- 
 structions will be given under the heading of the 
 different plants named. Another very important 
 matter in making fine hay of most crops is not 
 to leave the hay exposed to the hot, burning 
 sun any longer than is necessary. The main 
 thing with all hay crops is to cure them so as 
 not only to preserve their feeding properties, but 
 also to have the hay retain its bright green color 
 and sweet odor. Of course, in this we have to be 
 governed largely by weather conditions. Some 
 of our hay plants, such as sorghum and peas, may 
 require a week of bright, clear weather to mature, 
 while other crops, such as many of our grasses, 
 may be cut and cured with from one to two days 
 of good weather. 
 
 With this outline I will proceed to give a 
 description of some of our best plants for hay, 
 as well as the directions for growing and har- 
 vesting each. 
 
 Sorghum. 
 
 (Andropogan Sorgham.) 
 History and Des( riptiox. 
 Sorghum is a native of Africa and was first 
 brought from that country to the United States 
 about fifty years ago, since when it has been 
 introduced and successfully grow^n in nearly 
 every state in the Union. While Africa seems 
 to be the home of most of our sorghums, yet 
 
varieties of this plant are found in India and 
 other foreign countries. We have two families 
 of sorghums, the saccharine or sweet sorghums 
 and the non-saccharine, both being extensively 
 grown over a great part of the United States. 
 Both types are practically alike in their growth 
 habits and require the same kind of soil and culti- 
 vation. The sweet sorghums are well adapted 
 for and are grown more extensively for fodder 
 than are the non-saccharine varieties. In fact, 
 the sweet sorghums are so far superior to others 
 for fodder that they should be used exclusively, 
 especially where they will grow equally as well 
 as the non- saccharine sorghums. The only 
 advantage that any of the non-saccharine varie- 
 ties may possess is that some of them may be 
 better suited for our arid and semi-arid sections. 
 Again, some growers claim that where sorghums 
 are to be grown for seed that the feeding value 
 of the seed of some of the Kaffir corns is superior 
 to that of the sweet sorghums and that the yield 
 per acre is much greater. This is perhapstrue, 
 but where fodder is the object the sweet varieties 
 are the best though they may be more difficult 
 to cure. 
 
 For Syrup. 
 
 Several years ago quite an acreage of the sweet 
 orghums were grown for the manufacture of 
 yrup, but it seems that this industry is gradually 
 fading away. Extensive experiments at sugar 
 making from sorghum have never proven satis- 
 factorilv in this country. So there is not nearly 
 so much syrup being m^ade from, sorghum now 
 as there was a few years ago. However, we have 
 varieties of sorghums which have been carefully 
 selected that produce a very fine quality of syrup, 
 and syrup made from these sorghums ranks as 
 one of the purest and best syrups now made in 
 our country. The manufacture of pure sorghum 
 syrups for home use should be encouraged as it 
 is one of the healthiest sweets that we have. 
 This is especially true while the syrup is new. 
 Sorghum svrup keeps much better during our 
 hot summers than will the syrup made from our 
 Sugar cane. 
 
Unfortunately, our sorghums have become s 
 mixed with Kaffir corns as to destroy their value 
 for syrup. This is true of our western crops. 
 Where sorghum is to be grown for syrup great 
 care should be taken to keep it pure- and to breed 
 varieties and select seed of the most profitable 
 sorts. Sorghums for syrup should be planted 
 as early as the season will permit. 
 
 I cannot give more space here to the subject 
 of syrup -making, as this is a work on hay. How- 
 ever, if information is wanted on this subject, 
 full directions covering the whole subject ^^'ill be 
 furnished on application. 
 
 Varieties. 
 
 The best varieties for syrup are the Albaugh, 
 Early Orange, Red Top and Amber. 
 
 For forage or hay the Irnperial and Early 
 Amber are both extra good sorts, though all may 
 be used for this purpose. It should be kept in 
 mind that different sections may require different 
 varieties and that some of these varieties may 
 prove to be better suited for some sections than 
 they are for others. But for general purposes, 
 I would select varieties in the order named here. 
 
 Soil and Soil Preparation. 
 
 The sorghum plant is a strong, rapid grower 
 and a greedy feeder so that it succeeds best on a 
 deep, rich, moist soil. Sorghum is very similar 
 to our common corn in its growth habits, but as 
 a rule , it is a stronger grower than corn so it can 
 be made profitable even on thin soils. How- 
 ever, like Indian corn it grows best on deep, 
 rich, sandy loams and strong lime soils, as well as 
 on our best clay soils. All soils for sorghums 
 should contain a vast amount of humus and 
 where very thin soils have to be used large quanti- 
 ties of well-rotted barnyard manure should be 
 used. Where sorghums are to be grown for hay 
 humus and nitrogen are the main plant foods 
 needed, while if grown for syrup nitrogen, phos- 
 phoric acid and potash, are all needed. The soil 
 should be broken deep early in the season land 
 kept well cultivated until time to plant the seed„ 
 
Planting. 
 
 The best time for planting this crop for forage 
 varies from about the middle of March in thei 
 extrem.e south to the first of June in the northern^ 
 states but in no section should the seed be planted] 
 ttntil danger of frost is past. 
 
 The seed may be sown in drills from tM^o to_ 
 three feet apart and the crop cultivated or they' 
 may be sown with a press drill or broadcasted 
 plowed oi cultivated in, after which the soil 
 should be left smooth. 
 
 Quantity of Seed Per Acre. 
 
 This varies, depending upon the locality, soils,, 
 varieties and for the use to be made of the crop. 
 When sown for forage alone one to two bushels 
 per acre will usually answer. When sown in 
 drills one peck to one bushel or if sown in drills 
 for syrup four quarts of good, clean seed will be 
 ample. ". 
 
 Cultivation. 
 
 When sown in drills the'^crops may be culti- 
 vated with any corn cultivator or a five [tooth 
 Planet Jr. one horse cultivator can be used to 
 good advantage. Where the soil has been pre- 
 pared properly before seeding one to three cul- 
 tivations Mali be all that is required. When the 
 crop is sown in with a drill or broadcasted in a 
 good harrow may be used. Frequently we have ' 
 heavy packing rains which cause the soil to settle 
 around the plants so that if the harrow is used 
 to oi)en up or loosen this crust as soon after one 
 of these hard rains as the soil is dry enough to 
 work it will prove of great benefit to the crop. 
 Sometimes it may be well to use a disc harrow. 
 This applies in particular to heavy clay or tena- 
 cious soils. Crops on sandy soils with a loose, 
 gravelly sub-soil will need less cultivation. 
 
 Sorghum is such a strong growing crop that 
 where the seed bed has been properly enriched 
 and prepared before the seeds are sown that it 
 will usually take care of itself against all weeds 
 and grass. 
 
 8 
 
Used For Various Purposes. 
 
 There are a number of ways to use and make 
 sorghum a profitable crop. Sorghum and oats 
 sown together in early spring make a fine pasture 
 for hogs. V/hen sown for this purpose it will be 
 best to sow broadcast, using about one bushel 
 each of the oats and sorghum. This crop may 
 be sown early, and pastured ofT in time to use 
 the land for a second crop, that of cowpeas and 
 sorghum for hay. This makes a fine combina- 
 tion for hay. When sown this way use not less 
 than one bushel each of the sorghum and peas 
 per acre. When this is used as a second crop 
 later in the season it will be necessary to put in 
 the seed deeper than is required for the first crop. 
 This depends largely upon the soil and weather 
 conditions. The peas in most cases will have to 
 be planted deeper than the sorghum seed. 
 
 As to variety of peas best for this purpose, it 
 is hard to decide as we have so many good varie- 
 ties to select from. For most soils and sections 
 I would select the following varieties in the order 
 named: Clay Crowder, Whipporwill, Red Rip- 
 per, Black Ripper and Clay. 
 
 Any of the above named sorghums will answer, 
 however. I would lecommend for comparison 
 with those named above a combination of the 
 Imperial sorghum and Clay Crowder peas. But 
 as stated before, we have such a great variety 
 of both sorghums and cowpeas that it should be 
 an easy matter to find varieties suitable for all 
 sections. This, of course, will have to be deter- 
 mined largely by experiment. 
 
 Harvesting. 
 
 As a general rule, the best time to cut sorghum 
 for hay is when it is in bloom and before the seeds 
 begin to form. Some growers prefer to cut even 
 earlier, just about the time the heads are well 
 formed or have attained full size. 
 
 As stated before, much of the feeding value of 
 all our hay plants is contained in the blades or 
 leaves, so that if the crop is firing from dry weath- 
 er and the blades begin to burn, the crop should 
 be cut as soon after the heads are formed as 
 
f 
 
 possible. It usually requires about one week 
 good, hot sunshine to cure the hay. The main 
 point is to cure the hay so that it will not sour 
 when stacked or stored away. One of the best 
 plans is to cut after the dew is dried off the plants 
 and leave the crop on the ground for two days 
 when it should be raked up into windrows, where 
 it may remain for two days more, when it will 
 be ready to put into hay cocks. These hay" 
 cocks may be made five or six feet tall and four 
 feet in diameter at the center and rounding out, 
 to a point at the top. 
 
 Now we have four days from cutting until the| 
 hay is in the cock. Here it should remain for 
 three days more or if there is no danger of rain} 
 weather, it would be well to leave it in the cocl 
 for a week, during which time fermentation wil 
 have taken place, after which the hay is read} 
 for the stack or the barn. When stacked, it ii 
 often best to use alternate layers of straw o: 
 some other hay made from millets or grasses 
 The stacks should be well capped out with straw 
 The hay, if thoroughly cured, may be safeh 
 baled, but it should be spread out and thoroughly 
 dried before being put into bales. Of course, w( 
 have to be governed by weather conditions ii 
 this matter, as in all other farm operations. 
 
 Yields. 
 
 The yield and the value of the crop depend 
 largely upon the season, soil and methods 
 growing and saving the crop, the yield rangin 
 from one to fifteen tons per acre. From thrc 
 to five tons per acre can always be expected. 
 
 For a Soiling Crop. 
 
 ^ We usually have a period of dry weather i 
 summer, often lasting through July, Auguj 
 and September, when our grasses becomes short 
 dry and tough and sometimes fails entirely 
 During this period we need soiling crops and it 
 is here that sorghum comes to our relief, as it 
 is a great drouth resister, and because of its 
 feeding value, it is one of the best crops that can 
 be grown for this purpose. 
 
 10 
 
The dairyman will find in sorghum one of the 
 best of crops for keeping up the flow of milk 
 with his cow during the usual periods of short 
 grass. In fact, no wise dairyman should star I, 
 out in the spring without planting a good acre- 
 age of sorghum and Mammoth sugar corn for 
 feed for his cows. Sorghum may be safely fed 
 green to all animals on the farm from the poultry 
 up to the horse and cow with very profitable 
 results. Care must be taken in not feeding too 
 much at the start before the animal has become 
 accustomed to it. Commence to feed in a small 
 way or in small doses and increase the feed ac- 
 cording to the requirements of the animal. I 
 have heard of cases of bloat in cattle when fed 
 on sorghum, but never knew of a case where 
 the crop was wisely used. 
 
 For Pasture. 
 
 Mention has been made of the value of oats 
 and sorghum sown together for pasture for hogs, 
 and some stock men claim that this crop is better 
 to fatten hogs than alfalfa. It is also fine for 
 cattle and sheep, but caution is needed against 
 turning hungry sheep and cattle on sorghum, 
 especially when it is wet. 
 
 When Used For Silage. 
 
 Experiments made with sorghum as silage 
 vary greatly, some feeders regarding it as being 
 almost equal to corn and clover, others placing 
 it in line as follows: Indian corn, alfalfa, cow- 
 peas, sorghum. 
 
 The great difficulty with sorghum when used 
 as silage, is its tendency to develop acidity. 
 This might be overcome or prevented by using 
 it with other plants, such as alfalfa, clover or cow- 
 peas. Some experiments along this line have 
 proven quite satisfactory. 
 
 Feeding Value. 
 
 Regarding the feeding value of sorghum, there 
 are various opinions, these being based upon 
 various experiments. I regard sorghum and 
 cowpea hay, grown, cured and fed together, as 
 
 11 
 
the best all-round hay that can be produced on: 
 our farms, better even than alfalfa hay, as it;t 
 makes almost a complete feed. The cowpea;: 
 hay if fed in connection with any of our hays; 
 made from grasses is of greater value than when : 
 it is fed alone. Sorghum hay contains a high) 
 percentage of fat and protein. Cowpea hay is 
 also rich in protein and is an excellent substitute 
 for wheat bran," hence its importance and value,, 
 especially to the dairy farmer. 
 
 It would be well for the reader to send to the-: 
 department of agriculture at Washington, D. C, 
 as well as to the various state agricultural col- 
 leges for bulletins treating of this subject morei 
 fully, as I cannot spare the necessary room here^ 
 that is needed for a full explanation of this part ' 
 of this subject, which is determined largely by- 
 analysis. ^ 
 
 Sorghum and Cowpeas. ^ 
 
 One of the greatest objections, in fact the onlyj 
 one, offered against growing sorghum and cow- 
 peas together for hay is that the combination is 
 difficult to cure. This crop should be cut and' 
 managed the same as that recommended for 
 the sorghum and when we can have a week of 
 bright sunshine at the proper time, there should i 
 be no more difficulty in curing the two together^;, 
 than there would be in curing them separate. ^ 
 
 When to cut this combination crop depends!;!: 
 largely upon weather conditions, as well as the 
 stage of growth of the plants. Usually, when 
 the sorghum is in bloom and the peas are form-^ 
 ing in the first pods set on, this is the best time.l 
 But where the weather is dry and the blades of i 
 the sorghum and leaves of the peas begin to turn 
 yellow and fall off, then it will be best to cut so 
 as not to lose the feeding value of the blades 
 and leaves. 
 
 It is always best to store this hay in barns or 
 in some good hay shed, rather than to stack it. 
 When stacked it would be well to mix in an 
 occasional layer of oat or bright wheat straw, 
 then cap off the stacks well with straw or some 
 of the coarser grasses. 
 
 V2 I 
 
Seeded Ribbon Cane. 
 
 This is comparatively a new variety of the 
 saccharine sorghums, and one, the merits of 
 which have been well aired in our agricultural 
 papers. 
 
 Growers seem to differ widely in their experi- 
 ences with this crop. I planted seed of it on my 
 experimental farm in Missouri in 1907, but the 
 season was very unfavorable, so I could not tell 
 from its growth on my farm much about it; and 
 had to depend upon outside information for my 
 description of this variety. I have had m.any 
 good reports from it, both from a syrup and 
 forage standpoint. 
 
 One grower in Texas told me that he grew a 
 crop, that the stalks averaged sixteen feet tall 
 and produced six hundred gallons of syrup per 
 acre. Reports of from three to four hundred 
 gallons of syrup are quite common. The syrup 
 is said to be of superior quality. Hog growers 
 say that as a pasture or feed for hogs that it is 
 superior to all other sorghums. 
 
 One of the best plans for our readers, especially 
 those who live in the southern states, is to plant 
 a small plot and find out by actual experiments 
 whether or not it it an improvement over the 
 older sorts, and whether or not it is adapted for 
 your particular section 
 
 The seed are grown for sale quite extensively 
 in Texas, and there should be no trouble in pro- 
 curing a supply. 
 
 A friend in northern Texas sent me some 
 sample stalks of seeded ribbon cane which meas- 
 ure foiirteen feet in length, are large in propor- 
 tion to the length and contain a high per cent 
 of juice of very high quality. This sample in- 
 dicates that the favorable reports of this variety 
 are well sustained, and as stated above, its claim's 
 are well worth investigation by experiment on 
 every farm in all sections, where the seasons are 
 long enough for it to mature. 
 
 Most varieties of our saccharine sorghums 
 can be successfully grown in all sections of coun- 
 try tributary to the Rock-Island-Frisco lines. 
 
 1.3 
 
Kaffir Corn. 
 
 (Andropogon Sorgham Valgaris.) 
 History and Description. 
 
 Kaffir corn was introduced into the United 
 States about the year 1885 from South Africa, 
 of which country it is a native and takes its name 
 from the African tribe known as the Kaffirs. 
 It was first introduced into the southern states, 
 but since has been distributed over the greater 
 part of the United States. While Kaffir corn 
 seems to thrive in all sections of our country, 
 yet its greatest field of usefulness, no doubt, is 
 in the arid sections. 
 
 There are a great many varieties of Kaffir 
 corn; in fact, we have a line or plants that may 
 be properly termed or classed with the non-sac- 
 charine sorghums. Some of these are the Milo 
 Maize, Jerusalem corn and Broom corn, Such 
 plants as Bioom corn, millet, African corn or 
 African millet may be classed with the family of 
 millets. In fact, there has been no h'ttle con- 
 fusion in trying to properly classify this family 
 of plants. 
 
 Of the saccharme and non-saccharine sorghurr.s 
 there are many varieties. Of the Kaffir corns, 
 the red and white varieties seem to lead in use- 
 fulness and are more generally used. As stated 
 in former pages, I can see no good reason for 
 growing Kaffir corn for fodder where our sweet 
 sorghums will succeed. The advantage of the 
 Kaffir corn is that it will resist drouth and^ ex- 
 treme heat in our arid and semi-arid sections, 
 better than will our sweet sorghums. In fact, 
 Kaffir corn has been known to remain green for 
 weeks of the severest, dry, hot weather. During 
 these hot periods it will stop growth, stand still, 
 remain green and as soon as it gets moisture it 
 will start a new and vigorous growth. 
 
 Another advantage of Kaffir corn is that large 
 quantities of it are produced in sections where 
 our common corn would prove an entire failure. 
 
 The same preparation of soil, planting and 
 cultivation as recommended for the other sor- 
 ghums should be practiced in growing Kaffir^ 
 corn. 
 
 14 
 
 J 
 
Where sown in drills, to be cultivated, six to 
 eight pounds of seed per acre will answer. Where 
 sown broadcast for fodder, use from one-half to 
 one bushel per acre. 
 
 Harvesting. 
 
 Usually, there is very little trouble in curing 
 Kaffir corn for fodder. It is cut and bound with 
 the corn binder, and shocked in rather large 
 shocks which are, as a rule, left in the open field 
 until wanted for feed. This is the manner of 
 handling it in the western states. I will give a 
 brief description of each of these plants as they 
 have proven themselves under various tests. 
 The feeding value of each is largely determined 
 or influenced by soil, climate, weather condi- 
 tions, cultivation and harvesting. 
 
 White Kaffir Corn. 
 
 This variety grows from four to eight feet 
 tall. The heads which are formed in the top of 
 the stalk range in length from six to fifteen inches. 
 As early as these heads begin to show seed devel- 
 opment, the joints next below the top send out 
 seed heads, so that the crop yields an enormous 
 amount of seed. Where the seed is the object 
 it will be well to cut out the first or top heads as 
 soon as they are ripe as this wall cause a better 
 development of the second crop of heads. The 
 blades are wide and thick, they remain green 
 during our dryest weather and make an excellent 
 fodder which may be used either green or dried. 
 
 Red Kaffir Corn. 
 
 This variety usually grows taller than the 
 white and the stalks are more slender. The heads 
 grow long and slender and measure from twelve 
 to eighteen inches in length. The seeds are 
 red smaller than thelwhite, and rather hard and 
 brittle. It is some earlier than the white, and 
 thrives better on thin soils. 
 
 15 
 
Jerusalem Corn. 
 
 This is regarded by many growers as the surest 
 and best crop for all dry countries, even better 
 than,- Kaffir corn. It grows from three to six 
 feet tall, makes one large head on the main 
 stalk, which soon after forming, turns or goose- 
 necks over towards the ground It is not uncom- 
 mon to see from four to eight side shoots with 
 heads on one stalk. It is often used for parch- 
 ing for a breakfast food, and the seed are ground, 
 then all mixed with our buckwheat from which 
 our breakfast cakes are often made. The grains 
 are pure white and nearly flat. The leaf develop- 
 ment is about the same as that of Kaffir corn. 
 When sown in drills three feet apart, five pounds 
 of seed will plant one acre. 
 
 Milo IVIaize. 
 
 Milo maize produces enoimous crops of seed 
 and where seed is the object, it would be more 
 profitable to grow than Kaffir corn. Both heads 
 and seed are large. Heads weigh often a full 
 pound. It will yield from fifty to one hundred 
 bu.shels per acre of seed. This is one of the best^ 
 crops in dry sections to sow on our stubble land,; 
 as the wheat and oats are being harvested. 
 
 Brown Duorrha. 
 
 Brown Dourrha is very similar to the Jeru^ 
 salem corn. The grain is the same size an(' 
 shape, but of a brown color, instead of white J 
 Like the Jerusalem corn it withstands dr] 
 weather, and will yeild crops every year. It is 
 grown more for grain than for fodder. It is 
 fine to sow after wheat and oats. 
 
 Feeding Values. 
 
 There are many opinions as to the feeding 
 values of the above mentioned non-saccharine 
 sorghums and this is true of both the seed and 
 fodder feeding values. The best plan will be 
 to test the feeding value of these plants by actual 
 
 16 
 
experience on each farm. I do not think it at 
 all advisable or profitable to feed the grain of 
 any of these plants whole, in fact, more than half 
 the feeding value of the seed is lost by doing so. 
 The seed should be ground and used in a mixed 
 ration for the best results. However, the whole 
 grain may be fed to poultry as they do their own 
 grinding. Most of these grains are excellent 
 poultry feed. 
 
 Reports from our various experiment stations 
 vary in giving their experiments and analysis 
 of the feeding value of these plants and their 
 seed. But there is no question but that much 
 more feed may be produced per acre from any or 
 all of these plants in many of our dry sections 
 than we 'could possibly get from our common 
 corn which is the unit of measure for the feeding 
 value of all our grains. 
 
 Cowpeas. 
 
 History and Description. 
 
 This is the great plant for all the southern 
 states, for grain, hay and to be used as a soil 
 renovator. The cowpea as a soil builder has 
 been for years to the south what the red clover 
 has been to the north. In the past few years 
 it has been proving its value and adaptability in 
 helping to build up the soils of the north and 
 west, as well as the south. In the last ten years 
 it has worked its way through Missouri, Indiana, 
 Ohio, Illinois and as far north and west as Central 
 Iowa, and has given good crops in all these' states. 
 
 It is a great plant to use as a catch crop and 
 can be planted after wheat and oats, and on 
 every spot of land not occupied by other crops. 
 It may be sown in all fields of corn at the last 
 plowing of the com, when it Avill make a good 
 crop of hay, even if no seed, and at the same 
 time be furnishing plant food to the soil. While 
 it will grow on almost any soil, yet clay soils 
 seem best suited for it. 
 
 The cowpea is a tender annual, easily effected 
 by frost and cold, wet weather, so should not 
 be planted until all danger of frost is past and 
 
 17 
 
the weather becomes warm and the soil dry. Itl 
 is really a dry weather plant and thrives muchjt 
 better in dry than in cold, wet weather. It may,} 
 be grown for grain or for hay or both as both!- 
 make the best of feeds. 
 
 In former pages, I have shown the value of 
 sorghum and cowpeas grown together for hay. 
 They are also grown alone and make a hay of the i 
 highest feeding quality. 
 
 The seed are very nutritious and are much! 
 used as human food, both in the green and dry) 
 states. 
 
 While the plant grows on the very poorest of 
 soils and is used for enriching such soils, yet it- 
 is not to be understood that it will not respond 
 to better soils and good cultivation, so that where 
 profitable crops of hay are wanted, it should be 
 planted on rich soils. 
 
 The question often comes up as to the economy 
 of turning under cowpea vines to enrich the soil. 
 This depends upon circumstances. Where the.' 
 soil is very poor and quick action is wanted iti 
 may be well to turn under a crop of pea vines; ini 
 such a case, it will be well to put on a ton or eveni 
 more of pure lime per acre, then sow the land at 
 once to rye. 
 
 As the greater part of the fertilizing quality; 
 is in the roots, it is best and most economicali 
 to cut for hay, feed the hay to stock on the farm' 
 and turn back to the soil the pea vines in forni' 
 of barnyard manure. It would be very poor* 
 economy to sell this hay off the farm. 
 
 Sown For Hay. 
 
 Where sown for hay, the soil should be plowed 
 deeply and early in the season, kept well culti;-, 
 vated and harrowed and the seed bed made finti 
 until time to plant, when the seed may be sow^ 
 wath a drill or by hand, broadcast, and cultivateC; 
 in, using from one to two bushels of seed per acre^i 
 according to the soil and the variety of pea^ 
 used. ^ 
 
 * 18 
 
They can also be sown in drills from two to 
 three feet apart and cultivated. However, it 
 is generally more profitable to sow broadcast. 
 When planted for seed it is best to plant in drills 
 and cultivate. One half bushel of seed per acre 
 will answer when sown in drills. 
 
 There are a great many varieties, some of 
 which are trailing, while others are half-runners 
 and others are of the bunch variety. 
 
 Some are early and others late. The early 
 varieties are more in demand in the north, while 
 in the south, it makes practically but little differ- 
 ence, as all will mature. Where grown for hay 
 or for green manure, the longer or larger vining 
 varieties are generally preferred. 
 
 However, it is not always that the longest 
 runners are the most profitable to grow for hay, 
 for, as shown in former pages, the greatest value 
 of all hay crops is in the leaves and blades, so in 
 selecting vareities, we should look well to the 
 leaf development. Select varieties that have 
 large, broad, thick leaves, rather than varieties 
 with long vines and small thin leaves. 
 
 Some of our half runners are better in this 
 respect than are many of the long running 
 varieties. 
 
 We have many sizes and colors also, but the 
 color has very little to do in determining the 
 value as a hay crop. However, I should prefer 
 the white varieties for table use and the best 
 of these are the White Rice or Soup Pea, the 
 California Blackeyed and the Texas Cream. 
 These are all very fine table varieties. They are 
 also fine varieties for stock, as well as for soil 
 improvement. The whipporwill and clays arc 
 very commonly used for hay. 
 
 Harvesting. 
 
 This has been partly explained under the 
 heading, "Sorghum and Cowpeas," and as then 
 stated the peas should be cut so as to save the 
 leaves. If the weather will allow, it is usually 
 best to wait until the vines begin to seed and 
 when the seed in the first, pods are in the dough 
 
 19 
 
state, but if the weather is very dry so that th© 
 leaves are turning yellow and falling off, the crop) 
 should be cut at once. The directions as giveni 
 for handling sorghum hay and sorghum and cow^ 
 pea hay will apply equally as well for pea hay 
 alone. The main thing is to handle it so as ton 
 save as much of the leaves as possible, and 
 the same time to cure the hay so that it willj 
 retain its bright green color and sweet odor. 
 
 Saving the Seed. 
 
 y. 
 
 Cowpea seed have been high for several years 
 and will continue to remain high} from the fact 
 that the work of gathering and saving the seed 
 had to be performed nearly entirely by hand. 
 The seed ripen so unevenly, ripe pods and blooms 
 are on the vines at the same time, so that we 
 cannot use machinery to harvest the crop, with- 
 out considerable loss of seed. ^;, 
 
 The best plan I have found is to keep the rip|i 
 pods picked as they ripen, for if left for the wholil 
 to get ripe, the first pods may rot or the rain 
 may cause them to pop open .and the seed fall 
 out on the ground. It would require but littlfl 
 time and effort for every farmer to grow an^ 
 save what peas he would need for seed. Therfir 
 is nearly always time enough wasted on every' 
 farm to save not only what peas are needed for 
 seed, but to save seed corn and many other seeds: 
 that are used on our farms. 
 
 Used as Poultry Food. 
 
 Cowpeas and cowpea hay are relished and are 
 just as valuable for the poultry on the farm as 
 they are fot the horse, mule and cow. In fact, 
 if one desires the finest quality of flesh in poultryi^ 
 a field of these peas should be planted near thti 
 chicken house, where the poultry may have free 
 access to pasture on the peas and eat all the?^ 
 want. . 
 
 Chickens are very fond of them and the flesh 
 of a fat chicken fattened on cowpeas furnishes 
 the very best of meats for breakfast. 
 
 20 
 
Origin. 
 
 The origin of the cowpea is not well defined 
 some claim it to be a native of China, others 
 place its early growth to India. According to 
 be CandoUe, it is a native of India and was 
 cultivated there three thousand years ago. 
 
 It was introduced into this country in Georgia 
 and South Carolina about the year 1734, so has 
 been in cultivation in America for more than 
 150 years. But this is all practically immaterial 
 to the farmer; what he wants to know mostly 
 is how to grow and manage the plant so as to 
 obtain the greatest profits. 
 
 Yield. 
 
 The yield of hay ranges from one to six tons 
 per acre, according to sections, soils and seasons. 
 It is claimed by many growers that a greater 
 yeild of hay may be had by sowing the crop 
 in drills and cultivating once or twice. While 
 this may be true yet a crop grown this way 
 would, as a rule, be more difficult to cure for hay 
 as the stems would contain m.ore water. For 
 hay I should prefer the broadcast plan of grow- 
 ing the crop. 
 
 The yield of seed varies greatly. When grown 
 in corn five or six bushels per acre is about the 
 yield; when sown in drills and cultivated, ten 
 to fifty bushels per acre may be grown. The 
 feeding value of the hay, as before explained, is 
 of the very highest quality, better than clover 
 or tim.othy 
 
 Very much more could be said in favor of the 
 cowpea, which deserves a prominent place in 
 every farm rotation on all farms in our southern 
 states. However, the information here given 
 should interest every reader in this valuable 
 plant and enable every one to succeed in growing 
 big crops of both hay and seed. Should further 
 information be desired regarding the cowpea, 
 it will be given upon application from the reader. 
 
 21 
 
The sections of country tributary to the Rock 
 Island-Frisco Lines where the cowpea may be 
 profitably grown embraces all of our territory 
 in Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Oklar 
 homa, Louisiana. Missouri and the southern 
 and central Iowa, Southern and Central Illinois i 
 and Southern Indiana. The reader should write 
 me regarding varieties best for each section. 
 
 Soy or Soja Beans. 
 
 History and Description. 
 
 The Soy bean (often incorrectly called Soja 
 bean) is one of our best legumes and is supposed 
 to be a native of southeastern Asia. It has been 
 grown in the United States for many years. 
 From some reason, this valuable forage plant 
 has not received the attention that it deserves. 
 Its progress has been slow and so far its growth 
 has been confined almost exclusively to our 
 southern states. It has been grown in an ex- 
 perimental way in nearly all of our states. 
 
 Description. 
 
 Its growth habit is of the bunch form, growing 
 stiff and upright from two to four feet high. 
 The pods are short, covered with hair and con-^ 
 tain from one to four beans. The plant, cut 
 when the seed are well formed in the pods, makes 
 an excellent quality of hay, almost as good as 
 that of the cowpea. 
 
 The greatest feed value, however, is in the 
 seed and excepting the peanut, there is no other 
 known grain which contains such high per- 
 centages of protein and fat m such a highly 
 digestible form. To get the best results, the 
 beans should be ground and mixed with other 
 feeds. It is a tender annual so should not be 
 planted until all danger of frost is past and the 
 weather is warm and dry. While it is a dry land 
 plant, and will grow on our poorest soils, yet it 
 will respond to better treatment, if planted oiv^ 
 good soils and will yield immense crops. TheJ; 
 same kind of soil and soil preparation as out- ' 
 
 11 
 
lined for growing cowpeas will answer for the 
 Soy bean and like the cowpea they may be sown 
 in corn at time of last cultivation. 
 
 There are several varieties, early, medium, 
 late; white, black and green. From my ex- 
 perience with them and observation of them I 
 would recommend that they be more generally 
 used. 
 
 The best plan to grow thera is to plow the land 
 early and keep it cultivated until time to plant. 
 Plant in rows three feet wide and cultivate. 
 When sown in drills one-half bushel of seed per 
 acre will be sufficient. It yields enormous crops, 
 the branches are thickly set with pods from the 
 ground to the top of the plant, a single plant 
 often containing as many as 200 pods. From 
 20 to 50 bushels of seed is about the yield per 
 acre. 
 
 The territory tributary to the Rock Island- 
 Frisco Lines suited for the Soy bean is just the 
 same as those sections named for the cowpea. 
 for where one of these will grow, the other will 
 grow also. 
 
 Peanuts. 
 
 History and Description. 
 
 The origin of the peanut is not well defined. 
 Some writers claim China, others Japan, while 
 others claim Brazil as the original home of this 
 plant. 
 
 Like the cowpea, the peanut plant is a tender 
 annual and should not be planted until the 
 weather becomes warm; usually right after corn 
 planting is the best time to plant. The peanut 
 is a legume, the same as the cowpea and Soy bean. 
 Peanuts have been grown in this country for 
 years, their growth for commerical purposes 
 having been confined to our southern states, 
 Virginia, Georgia, .Mabama, Tennessee and the 
 Carolinas being the leading states in their produc- 
 tion. Texas and Oklahoma are now also pro- 
 ducing great crops. 
 
 The tops of the peanut plant make fine hay, 
 relished by all stock while the roots furnish rich 
 food for both man and stock. 
 
 23 
 
Soil and Soil Preparation. 
 
 The best soil for the peanut is a deep sandy 
 loam, which should be plowed early in the season 
 and made very fine. From twenty to thirty 
 bushels of pure rock lime should be applied per 
 acre, the amount of lime to depend upon the 
 supply of humus in the soil. Lime burns up 
 humus readily, so large quantities of humus are' 
 needed. The lime puts the soil in a fine, physicar 
 condition as well as giving the nuts a bright,; 
 clean appearance. The lime should be applied: 
 in the early spring, sown broadcast on the freshly 
 plowed soil and harrowed in. Various methods; 
 are employed for planting the crop. Some grow- 
 ers plant in check rows, which are marked out' 
 three feet apart each way and two nuts planted 
 in each hill. This method allows cultivation 
 each way with the horse cultivator. Other 
 growers plant in drills, rows three and one-half 
 feet wide and two nuts in each hill. Some grow- 
 ers plant in ridges, while others prefer level 
 cultivation. When grown for hay, the level 
 system is preferable. 
 
 ' After the soil is well prepared, a good plan is 
 to mark out the rows three and one-half feet 
 wide with a shovel plow, plant two kernels in 
 hills fourteen to eighteen inches apart, according 
 to the variety used. It requires about two bush- 
 els of the nuts in pod to plant one acre. 
 
 The covering of the seed may be performed 
 by the foot, hoe, a small plow or a harrow. It 
 is a good plan to cover with a good harrow, and 
 in a few days, just before the plants are up, 
 harrow the field at right angles. After this the 
 cultivation is easily performed. The Planet Jr., 
 horse hoes, either one or two horses, will do the 
 work to perfection. 
 
 Harvesting. 
 
 The crop is cheaply harvested and often stock 
 are allowed to do this part of the work. Hogs 
 can be turned in to eat the tops or the tops may 
 be cut and cured for hay, after which the hogs 
 may be turned in to root out and eat the nuts. 
 
 24 
 
The largest and best crop of peanuts I ever 
 saw was on the farm of Mr. J. M. Padgett of 
 lirewton, Alabama, a field of fifty acres. The 
 soil was a light sandy loam, which had been well 
 fertilized and highly cultivated. This crop was 
 grown by the level system and the yeild was 
 something near one hundred bushels per acre. 
 
 The peanut crop, like all other crops, will pay 
 in proportion to the amount of attention that 
 the crop receives. 
 
 Yield. 
 
 The j^ield is from fifty to one hundred bushel 
 per acre of nuts and from one to three tons o 
 hay. At least, this is such yields as should be 
 obtained from the crop. 
 
 Peanuts as Food for IVIan. 
 
 Peanuts are used in many ways for food and 
 we now have factories that clean, sort, grade 
 and make a number of food products, such as 
 roasted and salted nuts, peanut butter and pea- 
 nut candy. Oil is also extracted from them 
 which is used for soap making, etc., while a 
 refined oil is made which is used as a substitute 
 for lard and butter in cooking. So that besides 
 the value of the crop for hay, the nuts are valu- 
 able as food for both man and beast. 
 
 Varieties. 
 
 There are numerous varieties of the peanut. 
 Red Spanish is one of the most profitable sorts 
 to grow for stock. There is practically no dif- 
 ference between the Virginia and Tennessee 
 Red and this is the best variety to grow for all 
 common purposes. The Texas Jumbo is the 
 largest of all the varieties grown in this country. 
 
 Peanuts in the pod weigh twenty-two pounds 
 per bushel. Every Southern farmer should 
 plant at least a few acres of peanuts, for, as stated, 
 where work on the farm is crowding, the peanut 
 crop can be profitably harvested by the stock 
 
 25 
 
on the farm. A combination of peanut, sweet 
 potato and alfalfa hay, with just a little corn to 
 finish up, will give cheap pork on our farms. In 
 pasturing or "hogging" a crop of peanuts, a 
 good plan is to prepare movable fences and al- 
 low the stock on a few acres at a time. By this 
 plan thp stock will not run over and waste the 
 crop. Peanuts are fine for chickens and they, 
 too, may be allowed to assist in the harvesting. 
 
 The Rock Island-Frisco territory, where pea- 
 nuts may be grown, embraces all land tributary 
 to our lines in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, 
 Arkansas Louisiana, Texas and Oklahom.a. 
 
 Note — The term Oklahoma now included all 
 the country once known as the Indian Territory. 
 
 Field Peas and Oats. 
 
 This combination makes an excellent quality 
 of hay. This crop is suited for the northern 
 states and would not be profitable in the south 
 or southwest. The Canadian pea is used to sow 
 with oats for hay. The Colorado field pea, 
 which, on account of cultivation and climatic 
 conditions, seems to be quite an improvement 
 on the old Scotch or Canadian varieties, and is | 
 now extensively grown in Colorado with oats for '- 
 hay, as well as being grown in large quantities 
 for the seed, which are fed to stock at a great 
 profit. The finest mutton in the world is now- 
 grown in Colorado from pea fed lambs. This 
 has become a great industry in Colorado and j 
 both mutton and pork produced from peas com- i 
 mand the very highest market prices. ' 
 
 One of the greatest advantages of the pea 
 crop is that stock may be allowed to gather the 
 crop m the field, thus saving the expense of 
 harvesting. 
 
 Where peas and oats are sown together for 
 hay, seedings should be made early in the season, 
 using about one bushel each of the peas and oats, 
 both of which may be sown with our regular 
 grain drills or may be sown broadcast, cultivated 
 in and the soil left smooth with the use of a har- 
 row. The best time to cut this crop for hay is 
 when the peas are forming in the pods and the 
 
 26 
 
oats are in the dough state. The hay is easily 
 cured and furnishes fine feed for all stoek. This 
 crop should be more generally grown. It is 
 truly wonderful what results are being obtained 
 in the growing and feeding of Colorado peas in 
 the valleys of Colorado. 
 
 The sections of country tributary to the Rock 
 Island-Frisco Lines best adapted for the growing 
 of field peas and oats for both hay and grain is 
 Minnesota, Dakotas, Northern Iowa and North- 
 ern Illinois, 
 
 Florida Velvet Beans. 
 
 This is a great stock plant for our southern 
 states, but it is not at all adapted for our north- 
 ern states. It is one of our valuable legumes re- 
 garded by many of our southern farmers as even 
 better for soil renovating than the cowpea. It 
 is used as a forage plant and for hay. 
 
 The seed requires a long season, nearly eight 
 months for maturing. It is difficult to harvest 
 for hay, owing to its rank growth, so is not 
 easily cured. Stock w^ill eat the entire crop in 
 the field. 
 
 The seed furnishes excellent feed for all stock 
 on the farm It is a good plan to allow the seed 
 to ripen, leave them in the field until the beans 
 become soft from exposure to the weather, when 
 all stock may be turned on and allowed to eat 
 them in the field. 
 
 Velvet beans will grow on nearly all soils, yet 
 like most other plants, the better the soil, the 
 greater the yield. Owing to the growth and 
 heavy weight of fruit the vines put on it is not 
 at all advisable to plant them in corn or in 
 among young fruit trees. The vines frequently 
 grow fifty feet long and set great clusters of pods, 
 "vyhich are soft and hairy like velvet. 
 
 As stated before, seed will only mature in the 
 extreme southern part of the United States, 
 where we have seven or eight months free from 
 frost, yet they can be grown in many sections 
 for green forage and as a fertilizer for the soil. 
 On my experimental grounds at Springfield, 
 Mo., vines have made a growth of thirty feet, 
 
 27 
 
which were loaded with fruit or pods and many 
 of the beans attained full size, but none evei 
 ripened. So that velvet beans would prove 
 valuable crop for green forage and as a great 
 fertilizer as far north aa southern Missouri. i 
 
 Soil and Soil Preparation. 
 
 A sandy soil with a good clay subsoil would be^ 
 best, though clay soils also give good crops 
 The soil should be plowed deep and harrowef! 
 fine as early in the season as it is dry enough t<; 
 work and kept in a fine condition, free fron 
 weeds until seeding time. On very thin soils 
 if the seed are wanted for feed, it will be best tc 
 use some fertilizer and where well rotted barn^ 
 yard manure is not to be had some high grade 
 commercial fertilizer, containing a high per cen1 
 of acid phosphate, should be applied. 
 
 Seeding. 
 
 Seeding in the south should commence 
 early March and continue through May, accord- 
 ing to the locality. The plant will not grow 
 until the soil and weather both become warm 
 Velvet beans should be planted at the same 
 time we plant our watermelon seed, as one ij 
 about as sensitive to the cold as the other. 
 
 The best plan is to mark out furrows with 
 shovel plow, four feet apart, drop two to three 
 seed in a hill, the hills being three feet apart. 
 Planted this way they can be easily cultivateq 
 with any common cultivator. They can alsc 
 be sown broadcast and plowed in. 
 
 One to one and one-half bushels of seed pel 
 acre are required when sown broadcast, while 
 a half bushel is sufficient to plant an acre 'in 
 drills. It is necessary that we cover the seed 
 deeper than we do when planting cowpeas and 
 soy beans. 
 
 I. The seed, when fully matured, are so hard, 
 almost as hard as flint, that it requires both 
 moisture and heat to get them to germinate or^ 
 soften so that stock can eat them. 
 
 28 
 
Harvesting. 
 
 As stated before, it is often best to allow the 
 stock to harvest the crop right in the field, thus 
 returning a large percent of the fertilizer to the 
 soil. However, there are seasons when the crop 
 may be cured for hay and if the crop is properly 
 managed it makes an excellent quality of hay. 
 The hay should be handled so as to save as much 
 of the leaves as possible. Where there is from 
 ten days to two weeks of dry, hot weather, which 
 we often have in the south, there should be no 
 trouble in curing and saving the hay. 
 
 As a Soil Cleaner. 
 
 Another great advantage of the velvet bean 
 is that it cleanses the soil of all foul weeds and 
 grasses. It completely smothers everything 
 else out. 
 
 As soon as the leaves are full grown, they drop 
 off and the new ones take their places, so that 
 the earth is covered with these leaves which 
 prevent the growth of other plants, and at the 
 same time they shade the soil and furnish it 
 with plant food. There are so many sections 
 and soils tributary to the Rock Island-Frisco 
 Lines where the velvet bean would prove valu- 
 able and where it is badly needed, that I have 
 given a rather long description and such direc- 
 tions for planting that the reader may easily grow 
 them. 
 
 The velvet bean should be more generally 
 planted. The scarcity and high price of the 
 seed have pi evented many farmers from grow- 
 ing this valuable crop. 
 
 The Rock Island- Frisco Territory where vel- 
 vet beans can be grown to advantage and profit 
 takes in all of the territory tributary to our lines 
 in Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, I-ouisiana 
 and Texas and many of the sandy lands along 
 the rivers in Oklahoma. However, it may be 
 well to state that they should be grown in an 
 experimental way in the extreme northern sec- 
 tions of Texas and Arkansas. 
 
 29 
 
^ 
 
 Vetches. 
 
 Hairy or Sand. 
 (Vicia Villiosa,) 
 
 The vetch seems to be a native of Europe 
 where it has been grown for centuries, but vetches 
 are of recent introduction into this country. 
 Of the many varieties, the winter or hairy vetch 
 seems to be the only variety vakiable in this 
 country, and this is better adapted for growing 
 as a winter crop in our southern states than for 
 any other purpose or section. 
 
 It is a leguminous plant, belonging to 
 class of plants as the cowpeas; it is very frequent- 
 ly called or referred to as the winter cowpea. 
 Vetch furnishes either hay or pasture. Winter 
 oats and winter vetch sown together make hay 
 of excellent quality, as well as giving great yields. 
 The black winter oat or the Texas Red Rust 
 Proof would be the best oats to use. Sow two 
 bushels of oats and twenty-five pounds of vetch 
 seed per acre. Where sown for pasture rye or 
 barley would be best to sow with it, using not 
 less than one bushel of rye, or one to two bushels 
 of Tennessee winter barley and thirty pounds of 
 vetch seed. 
 
 Here is another fine combination for Large 
 crops of hay. Where rye or barley is used as 
 recommended above, sow twenty pounds of 
 vetch and fifteen pounds of Burr Clover seed 
 per acre. Where the soil is sandy use Crimson 
 clover instead of Burr clover. The best time 
 to seed these crops in the south is the latter part 
 of summer, August and September. This com- 
 bination may also be sown at the last plowing 
 of the cotton or corn. 
 
 Remember vetches are suited only for our 
 southern states and to be used as a winter crop. 
 
 Millet. 
 
 History and Description. 
 Millet is a cereal grass and is now cultivated 
 in nearly all parts of the world. The time of its 
 introduction into this country is an uncertainty. 
 
 30 
 
It is more suited tor and more extensively grown 
 in the southern states, though varieties are to be 
 found in nearly every state of the Union. The 
 family, known as foxtail millets are the most 
 important varieties grown in this country. 
 This species was common in China about three 
 thousand years B. C. 
 
 It is an annual, gi'ows from two to six feet 
 high with profuse foliage and the flowers abund- 
 ant. 
 
 In the United States it is used almost exclu- 
 sively for fodder, though for the last few years 
 the grain has become more generally used as a 
 poultry food. Tn many countries as China, 
 India and Japan, the seed are used extensively 
 for human food. Japan alone used about 4J,- 
 0JJ,JJ0 buvshels of seed each year for human 
 food. 
 
 Chief Use. 
 
 Millet in this country is used as a catch crop 
 where other crops have failed to grow. It is 
 not, as a rule, used as a main crop through it is 
 advisable to recommend it as such. Where a 
 crop of corn, cotton or some of our early crops 
 have failed to grow from various causes, a crop 
 of millet may also be grown. Wet soils that 
 remain wet until late in the season may also be 
 sown to millet. Frequently a crop may be 
 sown after harvesting the early grain crops. 
 Where land has become foul with weeds and 
 grass, a crop of millet will clear the soil of all 
 these. Under such conditions as these, millet 
 may be grown to good advantage and profits. 
 
 Soil and Soil Preparation. 
 
 Millets are of rapid growth, so consume large 
 quantities of plant food, as well as requiring a 
 great amount of moisture. Deep, rich soils, clay 
 soils, are the best for millet. The soil should be 
 broken deeply and the seed bed made fine before 
 sowing. 
 
 Heavy clay soils will require more work in 
 preparing, but will give better returns in the 
 end. However, millet may be grown on almost 
 any of our soils where corn can be grown. 
 
 31 
 
Seeding. 
 
 In the southern states, where the crop is grown 
 as a primary crop, seeding may be done from 
 April to July according to location. In the 
 northern states seeding time ranges from May 
 to and including June. The seed may be sown 
 with a dull or broadcast. When sown broad- 
 cast, from one to one and one-half bushels of 
 seed per acre are used, depending on the soil 
 and seed. Where sown with a drill, usually three 
 pecks per acre will be sufficient. Good, clean, 
 new seed only should be used. Where sown 
 broadcast care should be used in getting the seed 
 evenly distributed. The seed may be harrowed 
 in with a smoothing harrow. 
 
 Harvesting. 
 
 Millet should always be harvested for hay be- 
 fore the seed becomes ripe. In fact, after the 
 seed ripen the hay is of little value. The best 
 time to cut is when the ciop is passing out of 
 bloom and the seed begin to form. 
 
 It is not a difficult matter to save millet hay, 
 as it quickly cures when the weather is dry. 
 After it becomes well wilted it is best to get it 
 in windrows where it will cure in one or two days 
 if the weather is hot and dry. When cured this 
 way, it retains its bright color and sweet odor. 
 Millet hay, like all other hay should not be ex- 
 posed to the hot sun more than is necessary for 
 curing, for sun-burned hay is of little feeding 
 value. The hay may be stacked with perfect 
 safety, but if the weather will permit, it is best 
 to put it in haycocks for several days and stack 
 from the cocks rather than from the windrows. 
 Usually millet hay is easily cured and saved. 
 
 Feeding Value. 
 
 Millet is fed principally as a hay and forages 
 crop. It deserves to be more extensively used' 
 for soiling purposes, for, like sorghum, when, 
 pastures become short, if good crops of millet 
 were grown, it would greatly help out the feed 
 question and would enable the farmer to keep, 
 more live stock on his farm. 
 
 % 32 
 
Millet hay well cured is almost as good as 
 timothy hay, but it is not quite as high in fat 
 and crude protein, but in other respects is fully 
 equal to best timothy. I have fed millet hay 
 with the best results to horses, mules, cattib and 
 sheep, as well as for young mules. The seed 
 may be fed to good advantage to poultry and 
 hogs. 
 
 Varieties. 
 
 We have many varieties of millets and new 
 varieties are being introduced each year. I will 
 only notice here a few of the leading sorts such 
 as have proved a success in our country under 
 various tests. 
 
 German or Golden IVIillet. 
 
 This has been the leading variety in many sec- 
 tions of our country. It produces enormous 
 crops of both hay and seed, often producing as 
 high as four tons of hay per acre. Where grown 
 for seed, it produces from fifty to seventy bushels 
 per acre. Both hay and seed are of superior 
 feeding value as compared with some of the older 
 sorts. 
 
 Seedsmen usually list two varieties of this 
 millet, the Common and the True Tennessee 
 German Millet. The soil and climate of Tennes- 
 see seem to be ideal for the production of the 
 seed of this millet and so the claims that Tennes- 
 see grown produces the best crops seem to be 
 well founded. 
 
 This variety seems well adapted for all sections 
 and is more generally used than any other. It 
 is not so early as some of the smaller sorts and 
 will not resist drouth quite as well as other 
 varieties of less value. 
 
 IVIissouri Millet. 
 
 Also Called Tennessee and Common. 
 This is one of the oldest varieties, that is, it 
 has been grown in this country longer than most 
 sorts. It grows tall and unless sown thickly it 
 is likely to grow coarse. 
 
 33 
 
Manitoba or Hog IVIillet. 
 
 A comparatively new variety of recent intro- 
 duction into this country is the Manitoba or Hog 
 Millet. Some wonderful claims are made for it. 
 It is claimed that the seed are very valuable fori 
 hog feed. 
 
 The peculiarity of this millet lies in the factt 
 that the seed ripen while the stalk and blades: 
 are yet green, so that it may be cut and threshed, 
 thus getting both a hay and seed crop. It iss 
 claimed that the seed have great fattening prop- 
 erties. 
 
 New Siberian IVIillet. 
 
 This is another variety of recent introduction 
 into this country, for which the highest claims 
 are made. It is said to even surpass the German 
 for large yields. The claims made by its intro- 
 ducers are that it is from two to three weeks 
 earlier than the German millet, is a much heavier 
 croper, that the hay is much finer, stalks more 
 elastic and it grows much taller. It is rust-proof, 
 and being of a strong, stooling habit, requires 
 less seed per acre than other sorts. It would 
 be well to test this new millet in all sections. 
 
 Japanese IMillet. 
 
 This is also called Billion Dollar grass. It is 
 also of recent introduction into this country and 
 like the Siberian Millet, very strong claims are 
 made for it. The crops that I have seen growing 
 support the strongest claims made by its intro-) 
 ducers. It is well worth a trial on every farm 
 though it is not to be recommended for the U 
 north. 
 
 Hungarian IVIillet. 
 
 This is one of our oldest varieties and bettej 
 adapted for our northern states. It does best 
 on^very rich, moist soils. It does not do wel- 
 in^our southern states or in our dry sections. Jr. 
 the north it produces the finest quality of hay] 
 
 34 
 
Pearl or Cat-Tail Millet. 
 
 This valuable forage plant is sold by many 
 I seedsmen in the north and west as Pencillaria. 
 ! Pearl millet is a valuable forage plant for the 
 southern farmer, but practically worthless for 
 . the northern states. In the south it grows tc 
 j enormous height, often reaching the height of 
 twelve feet. It spreads out a great deal, thus 
 1 furnishing a great yield of forage. 
 
 It may be sown in drills or broadcast, though 
 the better plan is to sow in drills three to four 
 feet apart and cultivate. To be fed as a forage 
 crop, it should be cut and fed when green. It 
 is practically worthless for hay. There are 
 many other varieties of millets and much more 
 that could be said about millets, but enough is 
 stated here to enable any reader to select and 
 grow the best varieties. 
 
 However, I wish to repeat that millet deserves 
 more general cultivation on the farms of our 
 country. 
 
 Alfalfa. 
 
 History and Description. 
 
 Alfalfa is a member of the clover family. It 
 is a native of Southwestern Asia; it was intro- 
 duced into Spain by the Saracens; from Spain it 
 came into Mexico and from there spread to Cali- 
 fornia and the Southwest part of the United 
 States. However, it is well to state here that 
 some writers claim that Alfalfa was brought and 
 grown in New York State prior to its introduction 
 into California. While these claims seem to be 
 well founded yet it makes very little difference 
 to the average farmer for the fact is well estab- 
 lished that it came to this country in a very 
 early date. Through all these changes it has 
 preserved its Arabic name with the exception of 
 a few instances, as when it was introduced into 
 New York it was called Lucerne. 
 
 Alfalfa is found in a wild state in Afghanistan. 
 We also have plants in the United States that 
 so closely resemble alfalfa that in some sections 
 these plants are called wild alfalfa. On a close 
 
inspection of these plants we find but few of them- 
 entitled to be classed with alfalfa. Some of our 
 clovers such as Melilotus or Sweet clover mayi 
 deserve to be called a first cousin to alfalfa, so 
 near alike are they. 
 
 Alfalfa has been grown in Southwestern Asia, 
 Persia, Arabia and Egypt for more than three 
 thousand years. It is indigenous to hot and 
 semi-arid regions but under cultivation its field 
 of usefulness has grown until it now embraces 
 nearly every state in the Union and extends as 
 far north as Turkistan in Asia, and to Alberta, 
 in the Dominion of Canada yet the best results 
 are obtained in the regions south of the 42nd 
 parallel of latitude. It thrives remarkably well 
 'in Mexico where it has been grown for centuries 
 and is yet the chief hay crop in that country. 
 
 Alfalfa is a perennial and when once set and 
 it becomes established, with proper management 
 it will continue to grow and give satisfactory 
 returns for years. It grows from one to four 
 feet high. The root development is wonderful 
 and they penetrate the earth to a great depth 
 for moisture. The root growth gives the plant 
 such an unusual hold on the soil that from three 
 to six crops may be harvested each year; the 
 number of crops depend upon the season. A 
 six-year-old plant will often possess a root as 
 large as a man's arm. The roots are branching. 
 The plant does not spread from the roots, but 
 from the crown above the ground. 
 
 When the plants first appear above ground I 
 they present a tiny appearance and make rather 
 a feeble growth until the roots get a good hold on 
 the subsoil. Altitude does not seem to effect the 
 growth where other conditions are favorable, for it^ 
 thrives from sea level up to 8, 000 feet above the sea. 
 Alfalfa will stand almost any amount of surface 
 drouth but there must be underground water, a 
 damp but porous subsoil which the roots may reach. ] 
 
 King of Hay Crops. 
 
 While corn is king of our grain crops, alfalfa 
 is king of our hay crops. From the earliest 
 history of man alfalfa has been regarded as the 
 
 36 
 
king of forage plants. There is no doubt in the 
 mind of the writer but that the Patriarchs, 
 Abraham and Jacob, fed their flocks and herds 
 upon alfalfa. When the wicked king Nebu- 
 chadnezzar was dethroned and driven out to eat 
 with the beasts of the field for seven years, no 
 doubt but that he fed upon alfalfa. And to-day, 
 after its use for thousands of years it is our 
 greatest forage plant. 
 
 There is but one other hay known to the writer 
 that has a higher feeding value than alfalfa and 
 that is the cowpea hay. But when we come to 
 count up all the advantages of these two great 
 hay plants, the cost of seeding, growing and sav- 
 ing the jhay, we find the balance in favor of alfalfa. 
 While the hay from cowpeas has a higher feed- 
 ing value, yet it costs more to produce it, it takes 
 it longer to cure and is not so easily handled. 
 Besides this, we can get but two crops at the 
 most from one planting of cowpeas, while we get 
 from one to six cuttings per year from alfalfa. 
 One seeding of alfalfa should last for twelve years, 
 while the peas have to be seeded each season. 
 So that wherever alfalfa can be grown it would 
 not pay to substitute cowpeas for alfalfa. But 
 these two, greatest of all hay crops need not con- 
 flict with each other at all. The great advan- 
 tage with the cowpea is that it can be used as a 
 catch crop, where alfalfa and other clovers or 
 grasses could not be used. They can be sown 
 in corn fields at the last plowing of the corn, can 
 be sown on stubble land after wheat is harvested 
 or they may be used in building up and getting 
 our lands in a fine condition for alfalfa. 
 
 Soil and Soil Preparation. 
 
 Alfalfa thrives best on rich, sandy soils, having 
 a good well drained subsoil; soils with a rich top 
 and a good gravelly or porous subsoil is best, 
 though almost any land that will grow good 
 crops of grain may be prepared so as to produce 
 great yields of alfalfa Much depends upon 
 the water level in the soil; if this is within three 
 feet of the surface it must be lowered or drawn 
 off by drainage before such soils will produce 
 
 37 
 
good crops of alfalfa. Good under-drainage and' 
 a rich top surface are the starting points in select- 
 ing and preparing soils for alfalfa. We have soils 
 in nearly every state in the Union that can be 
 made to grow it. Lime soils are well adapted; 
 for alfalfa; in fact, lime is absolutely necessary 
 in order to obtain the best results and where the 
 soil is deficient in lime, this must be provided if 
 we expect to get the best results. Sandy soils 
 deficient in lime should have at least one ton of, 
 pure rock lime applied per acre before seeding. 
 
 When to Sow. ^ 
 
 The fall months are the best to sow alfalfa in 
 Southwest Missouri and all sections south of this, 
 while for sections north of this, spring would be 
 the best time. Sow from 15 to 25 pounds seed 
 per acre, the amount depending upon time and 
 the condition of the soil. 
 
 When to Cut. 
 
 This depends upon the weather and the con- 
 dition of the soil. Usually, when the crop is 
 coming well into bloom is the best time to cut, 
 but in case the weather is very dry, causing the 
 leaves to turn yellow and fall off, it will be best 
 to cut earlier, just as the first blooms appear. 
 
 How Long It Will Grow On Same 
 Land. 
 
 While holding farmers meetings in one of our 
 greatest alfalfa growing states, this question 
 frequently came up and growers stated that after 
 six years it would begin to give out and they 
 thought it should be changed every sixth year. 
 In my opinion, this depends entirely upon how 
 the crop is managed. Alfalfa feeds largely upon 
 nitrogen, much of which it gets from the air; ,j 
 arid while this is true, yet it is at the same time 
 using , up phosphoric acid and potash, taking 
 these from the soil. Now if we would restore 
 each spring to the soil just a little bit more of 
 
 1 
 
these two plant foods than the alfalfa took from 
 the soil the previous season, this and cultivating 
 the soil with a disk harrow every time we cut 
 cut the crop, would enable us to prolong the 
 life or usefulness of a field of alfalfa almost 
 indefinitely. 
 
 Special Notice. 
 
 The writer has prepared a special bulletin on 
 "Alfalfa" which gives far more information re- 
 garding alfalfa than I can give here. Every 
 reader who is interested in growing this wonder- 
 ful plant should send his name today and receivi; 
 this bulletin free. 
 
 Johnson Grass. 
 
 (Sorghum Halepense.) 
 History and Description. 
 
 Johnson grass is known under various names, 
 such as Johnson grass, Guinea grass, etc. It 
 seems to be a native of Africa, though it is known 
 in Southern Europe and in various parts of the 
 world. It was brought to the United States 
 about 1830 and it is now well distributed over 
 the entire cotton belt and is each year pushing 
 its way into the northern and western states. 
 
 It belongs to the sorghum family of plants and 
 so is better adapted for hay than for pasture, 
 though where well managed it furnishes fine 
 pasture as well as hay. 
 
 It thrives best on our heavy, black, lime soils, 
 and while such soils seem to suit it best, yet it 
 will grow almost as well on our rich clay soils, as 
 well as on many rich, sandy soils. 
 
 It grows from three to ten feet high according 
 to soil and is set from the ground up thick blades 
 which furnish the greater part of its feeding value. 
 It is inclined to grow rather thin on the land, and 
 in order to avoid this, there should be an ample 
 supply of good seed used so as to secure a good 
 stand for where grown thin the hay is likely to 
 grow too coarse and in this case it is difficult to 
 cure. 
 
 39 
 
Soil and Soil Preparation. 
 
 As before stated, Johnson grass will grow on 
 nearly all rich soils, though our rich, black lime 
 soils and rich, moist bottom lands suit it best. 
 Soils for it should be broken deep and harrowed 
 fine, the same as for other grasses and like all other i 
 grasses the richer the soil and the better it is- 
 prepared, the greater will be the yield of hay 
 and profits. Where soils are deficient in lime 
 this should be provided for. 
 
 Seeding. 
 
 The seed may be sown with a grain drill or 
 liroadcasted by hand, and the seed harrowed in. 
 It would be a good plan to sow Melilotus and 
 Johnson grass together, either for pasture or 
 hay, using about forty pounds of Johnson grass 
 and fifteen pounds of Melilotus seed per acre. 
 The fall is the best season in which to sow this 
 grass. 
 
 Harvesting. 
 
 Johnson grass seed should not be allowed to 
 become ripe before it is cut for hay, but it should 
 be cut when in or just passing out of bloom. 
 The hay is not difficult to cure and a few dayS: 
 of clear, hot weather will cure it when it may be 
 stacked, baled or stored in hay mows. 
 
 General Remarl^s. 
 
 Much has been said and written against John- 
 son grass, which has caused a great deal of undue i 
 dislike for it, for in my opinion it is a very useful 
 grass for many sections of our country and 
 especially so for the southern states. The great- 
 est objection to it is that we cannot get nd of itSi 
 when we desire to do so. If this was strictly^ 
 true, this would be one of the strongest argu4 
 ments in its favor, for any plant that will furnisWi 
 as much fine feed for stock, and is a stayer, should 
 be highly- recommended and I, for one, am en- 
 
 40 
 
couraging a more general cultivation of this 
 valuable grass. 
 
 I have known farmers to pay men one dollar 
 per day to destroy ten or fifteen dollars worth of 
 Johnson grass on an acre of land in order to grow 
 from four to eight dollars worth of cotton on 
 the same land. Let the Johnson grass grow and 
 get even with it by turning it into mutton, beef, 
 wool, milk and butter fat. 
 
 At one of the County Farmers' Union Meetings 
 held in Texas in the summer of 1907, an editor 
 of one of the great Texas papers said in his speech 
 that the state paid out annually about seventy 
 per cent of its cotton money for grain, pork, hay 
 and other foods for man and beast and yet the 
 state of Texas has been trying to discourage the 
 growing of this grass by legislation. 
 
 In February, 1907, I went to a city to give a 
 lecture on agriculture. A young man came to 
 the meeting and said he was in trouble and wanted 
 my advice. He stated that he had over a 
 thousand acres of rich, bottom land over-run 
 with Johnson grass and wanted to know how to 
 get clear of it. I told him to turn it into milk 
 and sell the milk. I also told him that at that 
 time cream was being hauled over three hundred 
 miles to his town to make ice cream. This is 
 what I said to him. "Go home, take a disk 
 harrow and disk your Johnson grass field twice, 
 at right angles, sow two bushels of oats per acre ; 
 when the oats are in the dough state and the grass 
 is in bloom, cut from two to six tons of hay per 
 acre, feed this to dairy cows and sell the milk. 
 A ton of this hay should produce 1,100 pounds of 
 milk which should test at least four per cent 
 butter fat. As soon as this crop of hay is off, 
 disk the field again, sow winter rye, not less than 
 one bushel per acre or two bushels of the Tennes- 
 see winter barley, and if there are spots where 
 the grass is too thin, sow a few seed on such spots. 
 This will give you a fine winter pasture for young 
 cows and the next spring you can repeat the oat 
 operation again." This young man afterwards 
 told me that he would not take $500.00 for the 
 information and he now has a herd of 300 dairy 
 cows on his farm and he is hauling his Johnsoa 
 
 41 
 
grass to the city and selling it at fancy prices in 
 the form of milk and butter fat, while his neigh- 
 bors are floundering around in mud and water 
 fighting Johnson grass on their farms. 
 
 The question is often asked me, "Is there any 
 way by which we can rid our fields of it?". To 
 this question, let me suggest this plant. Where 
 Johnson grass has taken entire possession of a 
 field that you desire to plant to other crops, go 
 at it in the fall, disk as stated above, sow to win- 
 ter rye or Tennessee winter barley for pasture 
 for the winter. In the spring, disk again the 
 same way, sow oats, cut the grass and oats to- 
 gether for hay and as soon as this hay can be 
 removed sow the field to cowpeas and sorghum, 
 one bushel of each per acre; this will give 
 another big crop of hay. As soon as this crop of 
 hay is taken off, disk again and sow to winter 
 rye or barley, pasture this during winter, take 
 the stock off early in the spring, let the rye or 
 barley get a start, then turn under and plant 
 corn, cotton or any other crop desired on the 
 field, as by this time there will be but little, if 
 any, Johnson grass left in the soil. However, 
 if there should be a few roots left which start 
 growth in the crop, sow rye or barley again at 
 the time of the last plowing of the cotton or corn. 
 Keep up this rotation for several years and you 
 can clear your soil of Johnson grass. 
 
 But why should a farmer want to get clear of 
 a grass, which, with good management, will give 
 as great profits as any other crop? While en- 
 gaged in writing this, I am on a train passing 
 through one of our cotton states and looking out 
 from the windows on either side, we are passing 
 through fields of cotton that will not make three 
 hundred pounds of seed cotton per acre this sea- 
 son, 1907. It is possible for Johnson grass to be 
 worse than this. 
 
 Of course we do not want it in our lawns, 
 gardens, orchards or flower beds, and it will only 
 require a little attention and work to Jceep it 
 out of such places. It is certainly amusing to 
 me when I point out in my car a sample of John- 
 
 42 
 
son grass to farmers, for then they commence to 
 caution me not to let a seed of it out in their 
 towns, when at the same time there are patches 
 of it growing all along the roadside and have been 
 for several years and they have never noticed it. 
 Such experiences are common, for the cattle 
 from the south have carried the seed north until 
 it is now to be found growing in nearly every 
 town in Missouri, and it already has a good start 
 in Illinois, Iowa and other northern states where 
 it has become a fixture and proposes to stay. 
 
 Farmers frequently say that they are afraid 
 to haul out manure from the stables in towns 
 where Johnson grass hay is fed for fear of getting 
 this grass started on their farms. This can all 
 be avoided by hauling the manure, piling it and, 
 letting it heat until the seeds are either burned 
 or sprouted and the young plants are killed in 
 the manure. I should not hesitate a moment 
 but would haul out all the manure I could get 
 and if there was Johnson grass seed in it, I would 
 get clear of it before applying the manure to the 
 ground. 
 
 Should the reader desire to grow one of the 
 cheapest and best crops of hay that can be grown 
 in this country, prepare your soil as outlined 
 above, secure new Johnson grass seed, the sleek, 
 heavy, black seed, sow and harvest as outlined 
 above, sowing either alone or with Melilotus and 
 you will have no trouble in procuring profitable 
 crops of hay. 
 
 When ready to change fields, smother out the 
 old fields by pasture and hay crops as directed 
 instead of trying to kill it by cultivation. It can 
 be pastured and smothered out, but to attempt 
 to cultivate it out would be like the Irishman 
 and his mole. A mole got into his garden and 
 rooted under his onions and peas which caused 
 the Irishman and his wife much anxiety. So 
 they watched for him and finally caught him. 
 A consultation was held as to how they should 
 kill him so^as to inflict the most punishment upon 
 him. Pat after much thought decided to bury 
 him alive. 
 
 43 
 
Timothy and Red Clover. 
 
 Timothy and clover have been grown together 
 for hay in this country for years and is yet re- 
 garded by many farmers as the leading hay in 
 feeding value. There are many sections where 
 farmers will continue to grow timothy and clover 
 hay no matter what other new clovers or 'grasses 
 may be introduced. Timothy is grown alone for 
 hay in many sections of this country and-where 
 properly managed, cut and cured at the right 
 time it makes a hay of very high feeding value. 
 
 For a more detailed description of both timothy 
 and clover, as well as hay of both plants, I would 
 refer the reader to my bulletin on "Grasses and 
 Clovers," pages 11, 12, 13, 14 and 20. 
 
 Red Top Grass. 
 
 Red Top Grass is grown in many sections for 
 both pasture and hay; however, its chief value 
 is for pasture and so is not to be recommended 
 for hay except to be grown on wet lands where 
 better grasses cannot be grown. When wanted 
 for hay it is best to sow Alsike clover with it as 
 the two grown together make a good quality 
 of hay. 
 
 For further information regarding Red Top 
 and Alsike clover for hay I would refer the reader 
 to my bulletin on "Grasses and Clover," page 21. 
 
 Tall Meadow Oat Grass. 
 
 This hardy perennial grass in coming into more 
 general use in many sections of our; country and 
 especially so in the south and west. While it 
 will grow on almost any good, rich soil, yet I find 
 it well adapted for our low:lands and regard it as 
 a better grass to sow with Alsike clover than 
 even the Red Top. The Red Top will grow 
 on wet, sour soils where the oat grass might prove 
 a failure. But where the land has even partial 
 drainage, I would recommend the use of the oat 
 grass. This grass roots deep and furnishes 
 
 44 
 
r 
 
 both pasture and hay. Oat grass and Alsikc 
 clover may be sown together for hay or pasture, 
 by the same methods as recommended in the 
 .bulletin on Grasses and Clovers. 
 
 Oat grass and Mammoth clover may be sown 
 together for hay and will make an excellent 
 quality of hay for feed. The Oat grass produces 
 an abundance of fine blades from the ground to 
 the top. Like Orchard grass it comes early 
 and stays late. Its habits of growth and size 
 are about the same as those of the Orchard grass, 
 growing from two to four feet tall. 
 
 Orchard Grass and Clover. 
 
 In many sections of our country, Orchard 
 grass and clover from a better combination for 
 hay than timothy and clover. Unfortunately, 
 Orchard grass has been badly named as the name 
 indicates that it is a grass, suitable for orchards 
 and timber lands or shaded places. This gives a 
 bad impression, for while it is well adapted for 
 such locations, it is equally as well suited for 
 field culture. In fact, my experience and ob- 
 servation leads me to conclude that it is the best 
 all-round grass that we have. For all timber 
 sections and for all clay soils it has no equal, 
 either for hay or pasture. It deserves a much 
 more generar cultivation. 
 
 On some soils such as low, heavy, wet lands 
 it would be best to use Alsike instead of the Sap- 
 ling or Mammoth clover with the Orchard grass. 
 One of the most common objections to Orchard 
 grass is that it, grows in tufts; this comes largely 
 from the fact that it is allowed to grow scatter- 
 ing. To overcome this, it should be sown thick 
 and none but good, fresh seed used. If two 
 bushels of new, clean seed are sown per acre, 
 together with ten pounds of Mammoth clover 
 seed, the two will form a dense growth, make an 
 enormous yield of hay of the very best quality. 
 The two bloom together and should be cut 
 while in bloom for hay. 
 
 45 
 
Of course, the Orchard grass, being a stronger 
 grower and a longer lived plant will crowd the 
 clover out in two years. In such event, the 
 grass should be cut close, put on a disk, again 
 sow clover seed and smooth over with a smooth- 
 ing harrow. For further information on Or- 
 chard grass, see my bulletin on Grasses and 
 Clovers, page 22. 
 
 The country tributary to the Rock Island- 
 Frisco Lines best adapted for Orchard grass 
 (Dactyllis Golmerata), embraces all of our ter- 
 ritory in Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, the 
 northern sections of Arkansas, up to and in- 
 cluding Central Iowa, up to and including Cen- 
 tral Illinois, all of Indian Territory and many 
 sections of Kansas and Nebraska. In fact, Or- 
 chard grass may be successfully grown on nearly 
 all the clay soils tributary to the Rock Island- 
 Frisco Lines. 
 
 Other Plants Suitable for Hay. 
 
 We have many other plants that are suitable 
 for hay, such as wheat, rye, oats, barley, giant 
 beggar weed, Mexican clover, water or goose 
 grass, crab grass, rag weeds and our 
 
 Prairie Grasses. 
 
 These grasses have been giving us fine crops 
 of hay, but they are giving out, for our prairies 
 are being broken and put into cultivation so fast 
 that this makes it of greater importance that we 
 give more attention to the growing of hay crops 
 on our farms. In many of our western states 
 alfalfa will take the place of the wild hay and it 
 is fast becoming the great forage plant in many 
 sections of the south and west. 
 
 In concluding this book, let me urge that every 
 reader provide an ample supply of pasture and 
 hay, build up the dairy industry, feed the stock, 
 let the stock feed the soil, so that we may grow 
 great crops of grain to feed theworld. 
 
 4G 
 
Summary* 
 
 *" We should provide an ample supply of hay 
 for all stock on the farm. 
 
 The best hay crops are grown on rich, well 
 prepared soils. 
 
 We need not to expect to get pa3ang crops of 
 hay from crops that are pastured heavily. 
 
 Where pasture is wanted, sow for pasture. 
 
 With a little effort every farmer can have a 
 sufficient quantity of hay for all his stock. 
 
 We have hay plants suited for nearly all soils 
 and climates. 
 
 Farmers should experiment with the different 
 hay crops, and thus determine which is best 
 adapted for his soil. 
 
 .Varieties of plants have much to do in deter- 
 mining the value of the crop. 
 
 None but the best varieties of all crops should 
 be used. 
 
 For best results, hay should not be left ex- 
 posed to either rain or sun too long. Get the 
 hay out of the weather as soon as possible after 
 it is cut. 
 
 Some hay crops need more sunshine than 
 others. 
 
 With the great number of forage plants at our 
 command, there is no good reason why stock 
 should be starved. 
 
 When pastures are short stock, especially 
 milk cows, should be fed soiling crops. 
 
 Grasses, clover and live stock form the founda- 
 tion of agricultural wealth. 
 
 Should you wish to become wealthy farming, 
 send for a full set of our free bulletins which will 
 tell you how to make the farm pay. Should you 
 need information on any agricultural or horticul- 
 tural subject write for same to 
 
 F. S. White, 
 Agricultural and Horticultural Commissioner, 
 Rock Island-Frisco Lines, 
 Frisco Building. St. Louis Mo. 
 
 47 
 
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 48 
 
 >a 
 
Explanation — Find the distance between 
 your plants or hills the longest way in the left 
 hand column, then trace the line to the right, 
 until it reaches the column of the number that 
 expresses the distance of the short wa3^ where 
 you will find the number wanted. 
 
 Example — The rows of corn in a corn field 
 are 5| feet apart, and the plants 20 inches apa.ft, 
 in drill or hill; what will be the number of hills 
 or plants in an acre 
 
 Solution — Find 5^ feet (the distance of the 
 rows apart) in the left hand column, then trace 
 the line along unto the column headed by 20 
 inches (the distance of the plants or hills apart), 
 and you have 4,752 — Answer. 
 
 This is a very valuable table as it will quickly 
 enable you to determine exactly what you are 
 getting from an acre of your land. For instance, 
 every farmer wants to or should know what 
 each acre of his corn is producing, and since I 
 have been teaching that it is possible to bring 
 the average corn crop of this country up to fifty 
 bushels per acre instead of the present low aver- 
 age of twenty-five bushels, this table will show 
 the farmer at a glance how such results may be 
 obtained. 
 
 Corn planted in drills three and one-half feet 
 apart and one stalk in a hill every eighteen 
 inches gives 8,297 stalks. Now, suppose we make 
 each stalk, as we can do, give an ear weighing 
 one pound. This gives 8,297 pounds, and 70 
 pounds per bushel- gives us 118^ bushels per acre. 
 Suppose we cut this in half, we still have 59^ 
 bushels per acre, so there should be no difficulty 
 in growing fifty bushels of corn per acre. With 
 this table it will be an easy matter to weigh or 
 count the product of average hills or plants and 
 so figure very closely as to the yield of all grops 
 per acre. . . 
 
 V.) 
 
Comparative Nutritive Value of Differ- 
 ent Crops. 
 
 Table No. 2. 
 
 The comparative difference between good hay, 
 (and let us take for our unit of measure some of 
 the good hays as cowpeas and sorghum hay, 
 alfalfa hay, or a combination of orchard grass 
 and clover hay) and other articles as food for 
 stock, being the results of experiments only. 
 10 lbs. hay equal. 
 
 Clover hay 8 to lO-lbs. 
 
 Green clover 45 to 50 lbs. 
 
 Wheat straw 40 to 50 lbs. 
 
 Barley straw 20 to 40 lbs. 
 
 Oat straw , 20 to 40 lbs. 
 
 Pea straw 10 to 15 lbs. 
 
 Potatoes 20 to 25 lbs. 
 
 Carrots (red) 25 to 30 lbs. 
 
 Carrots (white) 40 to 45 lbs. 
 
 Mangold wurtzel ' 30 to 35 lbs. 
 
 Turnips 45 to 50 lbs. 
 
 Cabbage 20 to 30 lbs. 
 
 Peas and beans 3 to 5 lbs. 
 
 Wheat 5 to 6 lbs. 
 
 Barley 5 to 6 lbs. 
 
 Oats 4 to 7 lbs. 
 
 Indian corn 5 to 7 lbs. 
 
 Oil cake 2 to 4 lbs. 
 
 Table No. 3. 
 
 The difference between good hay and other 
 articles as food for stock shown, being the com- 
 bination of experiments and theory. 
 100 lbs. hay equal. 
 
 Green Indian corn ." 275 lbs. 
 
 Rye straw 442 lbs. 
 
 Wheat straw 360 lbs. 
 
 Oat 'straw 164 lbs. 
 
 Barley straw 180 lbs. 
 
 Pea straw 153 lbs. 
 
 Buckwheat straw 200 lbs. 
 
 Raw potatoes 201 lbs. 
 
 50 
 
 I 
 
Boiled potatoes 175 lbs- 
 Mangold wurj-.el 504 lbs- 
 Turnips. . .' 504 lbs. 
 
 Carrots 300 lbs. 
 
 Rye 54 lbs. 
 
 Wheat 46 lbs. 
 
 Oats 59 lbs. 
 
 Peas and beans mixed 45 lbs. 
 
 Buckwheat 64 lbs. 
 
 Indian corn 57 lbs. 
 
 Acorns 68 lbs. 
 
 Wheat bran 105 lbs. 
 
 Rye bran 109 lbs. 
 
 Wheat, pea and oat chaff 167 lbs. 
 
 Rye and barley, mixed 179 lbs. 
 
 Table No. 4. 
 
 By experiments it has been shown that each 
 100 pounds of live weight of an animal requires 
 of hay (or its equivalent), per day, as follows: 
 
 Working horses 3.08 lbs. 
 
 Fatting oxen 5.00 lbs. 
 
 Fatting oxen when fat 4.00 lbs. 
 
 Milch cows 2.25 to 2.40 lbs. 
 
 Dry cows 2.42 lbs. 
 
 Young growing cattle 3.08 lbs. 
 
 Working oxen 2.40 lbs. 
 
 Steers ; 2.84 lbs. 
 
 Pigs 3.00 lbs. 
 
 Sheep 3.00 lbs. 
 
 As the ox consumes from 20 to 40 ounces of 
 gluten or albumen daily, the following weights 
 of vegetable food will supply this amount: 
 
 Meadow hay 20 lbs. 
 
 Clover hay 16 lbs. 
 
 Oat straw 110 lbs. 
 
 Pea straw 12 lbs. 
 
 Potatoes 60 lbs. 
 
 Carrots 70 lbs. 
 
 Turnips 120 lbs. 
 
 Cabbage 70 lbs. 
 
 Wheat or other white grain 11 lbs. 
 
 Beans or peas 6 lbs. 
 
 Oil cake 4 lbs. 
 
 51 
 
Field Seeds. 
 
 Table No. 5. 
 
 Note — These estimates apply for strictly first- 
 class fresh seeds. 
 
 Quantity required per acre : 
 
 Barley 2i bu. 
 
 Beans, field, dwarf 1 bu. 
 
 Beans, field, Pole ^ bu. 
 
 Corn, Field 4 to 5 qts. 
 
 Corn, Pop 4 to 6 qts. 
 
 Corn, Sugar ^ 6 to 8 qts. 
 
 Corn, Broom 4 to 8 qts. 
 
 Clover, Alfalfa (Lucerne) 20 to 25 lbs. 
 
 Clover, Alsike or Swedish 6 to 8 lbs. 
 
 Clover, Crimson 10 to 15 lbs. 
 
 Clover, Mammoth 8 to 12 lbs. 
 
 Clover, Medium, Red 8 to 12 lbs. 
 
 Clover, White Dutch 6 to 8 lbs. 
 
 Clover, Japan 12 to 15 lbs. 
 
 Clover, Melilotus 15 to 20 lbs. 
 
 Clover, Burr 25 to 30 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Kentucky Blue 2 bu. 
 
 Grass, English Blue 7 bu. 
 
 Grass, Red Top 8 to 10 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Timothy I bu. 
 
 Grass, Orchard 2 bu. 
 
 Grass, Tall Meadow Oat 2 bu. 
 
 Grass, Perennial, English Rye 2 bu. 
 
 Grass, Italian Rye . .' 2 bu. 
 
 Grass, Annual Sweet Vernal 5 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Rescue or Arctic 25 to 45 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Awnless Brome 40 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Bermuda 10 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Lawn 40 to 60 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Johnson 40 to 50 lbs. 
 
 Miscellaneous Farm seeds: 
 
 Dwarf Essex Rape 4 to 6 lbs. 
 
 Buckwheat 1 bu. 
 
 Velvet beans J bu. 
 
 Soja beans i to 1 bu. 
 
 Sorghum, Broadcast 1 to 2 bu. 
 
 Kaffir corn, drills ^ bu. 
 
 Hemp for seed, drills i bu. 
 
 52 
 
 Jill 
 
Hemp, Broadcast 11 bit 
 
 Peas, field 1 to 2 bu 
 
 Oats ^ to 3 bu 
 
 Rye 1 to 1 ^ bu 
 
 Wheat I to l| bu 
 
 Flax ^bu 
 
 Peanuts in hull 2 bu 
 
 Sunflower 8 lbs 
 
 Vetches 2 bu 
 
 Table No. 6. 
 
 Quantity of seeds requisite to produce a given 
 
 number of plants and to sow per acre. 
 
 Quantity 
 per acre. 
 
 Artichoke, 1 oz. to 500 plants H oz. 
 
 Asparagus, 1 oz. to 800 plants 5 lbs. 
 
 Asparagus roots 1,000 to 7,250 
 
 Beans, dwarf, 1 pt. to 100 feet of drill 1 bu. 
 
 Beans, Pole, 1 pt. to 100 hills i bu. 
 
 Beet, garden, 1 oz. to 100 feet of drill 7 lbs. 
 
 Beet, Mangel, sugar, 1 oz. to 100 ft. drill. . 5 lbs. 
 
 Brocoli, 1 oz. to 5,000 plants 2 oz. 
 
 Brussels sprouts, 1 oz. to 5,000 plants 2 oz. 
 
 Cabbage, 1 oz. to 3,000 plants 4 oz. 
 
 Carrot, i oz. to 100 feet of drill 2h lbs. 
 
 Cauliflower, 1 oz. to 2,500 plants 2 J oz. 
 
 Celery, 1 oz. to 10,000- plants 3 oz. 
 
 Collards, 1 oz. to 3,000 plants 4 oz. 
 
 Cucumbers, 1 oz. to 100 hills 1 to 3 lbs. 
 
 Egg plant, 1 oz. to 2,000 plants 4 oz. 
 
 Endive i oz. to 100 feet of drill 2h lbs. 
 
 Garlic bulbs, 10 lbs. to 100 feet of drill ". 
 
 Gourd, 2 oz. to 100 hills , . 
 
 Horseradish roots 10,000 to 15,000 
 
 Kale, 1 oz. to 3,000 plants 2 lbs. 
 
 Kohl Rabi, ^ oz. to 100 feet of drill 2 lbs. 
 
 Leek, i oz. to 100 feet of drill 2 lbs. 
 
 Lettuce, ^ oz. to 100 feet of drill 2 lbs. 
 
 Martynia, 1 oz. to 100 feet of drill 4 lbs. 
 
 Muskmelon, 1 oz. to 100 hills 1 to 3 lbs. 
 
 Mustard, Broadcast ^ lb. 
 
 Nasturtium, 1 oz. to 100 feet of drill 8 lbs. 
 
 Okra, 1 oz. to 100 feet of drill 8 lbs. 
 
 Onion seed, ^ oz. to 100 feet of drill. . . 4 to 5 lbs. 
 
 53 
 
I 
 
 Onion seed, for sets. . 40 to 60 lbs.' 
 
 Onion sets, 1 qt. for 40 feet of drill 8 bu 
 
 Parsnip, I oz. to 100 feet of drill 3 lbs. 
 
 Parsley, i oz. to 100 feet of drill 3 lbs, 
 
 Peas, garden, 1 pt. to 100 feet of drill. 1 to 3 bu. 
 
 Pepper, 1 oz. to 1,500 plants 3 oz 
 
 Pumpkin, | qt. to 100 hills 3 to 4 Ibs.^ 
 
 Radish, f oz. to 100 feet of drill 3 to 5 lbs. 
 
 Rhubarb, 1 oz. for 500 plants 
 
 Sage 4 to 5 lbs. 
 
 Salsify, f oz. to 100 feet of drill 8 lbs. 
 
 Spinach, ^ oz. to 100 feet of drill 8 lbs. 
 
 Summer Savory f lb. 
 
 Squash, summer, 4 oz. to 100 hills 1 lb. 
 
 Squash, winter, 8 oz to 100 hills 2 lbs. 
 
 Tomato, 1 oz. to 4,500 plants 1 oz. 
 
 Tobacco, 1 oz. to 5,000 plants. , . . . . . 2 oz. 
 
 Turnips, 1 oz. to 150 feet of drill 1 to 3 lbs. 
 
 Watermelon 1 to 2 lbs. 
 
 Distances Recommended For 
 Planting. 
 
 Table No. 7. 
 
 Apples (standard) 20 to 30 feet each way 
 
 Apples (dwarf) 6 to 10 feet each way 
 
 Pears (standard) 20 feet each way 
 
 Pears (dwarf) 10 to 15 feet each way 
 
 Quinces 12 feet each way 
 
 Peaches . 18 to 20 feet each way 
 
 Plums 8 to 12 feet each way 
 
 Cherries 14 to 20 feet each way 
 
 Figs 10 to 15 feet each way 
 
 Japan persimmons 20 to 25 feet each way 
 
 Mulberries 20 to 25 feet each way 
 
 Blackberries 6 to 8 feet by 4 feet 
 
 Raspberries 6 by 2 feet 
 
 Currants 4 to 5 feet by 4 feet 
 
 Gooseberries 4 to 5 feet by 4 feet 
 
 Strawberries, hills 15 by 15 inches 
 
 Strawberries, matted rows 4 by 1 foot 
 
 Asparagus 4 by 2 feet 
 
 Rhubarb 4 by 2 feet ^ 
 
 Graoes 8 by 9 feet , ' 
 
 Oranges 20 by 20 feet 
 
 54 
 
Weight of Various Seeds Per Bushel. 
 
 Table No. 8. 
 
 Barley 48 lbs. 
 
 Beans 60 lbs. 
 
 Broomcorn seed 30 lbs. 
 
 Buckwheat 48 lbs. 
 
 Canary seed 60 lbs. 
 
 Castor beans 46 lbs. 
 
 Clover seed 60 lbs. 
 
 Com, field, shelled 56 lbs. 
 
 Corn, field, on ear 70 lbs. 
 
 Flaxseed 56 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Rhode Island Bent 14 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Creeping Bent 20 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Red Top (in chaff) 14 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Red Top (cleaned from chaff) 32 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Meadow Foxtail 7 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Tall Meadow Oat 10 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Awnless Brome 14 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Orchard Grass 14 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Hard Fescue 12 lbs. 
 
 Gra^s, Tall Fescue 14 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Sheep's Fescue 12 lbs. 
 
 Grass, MeadowFescueorEnglishBlueGrass. 22 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Perennial Rye 2 ) lbs. 
 
 Grass, Timothy 45 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Wood Meadow 14 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Kentucky Blue 14 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Fowl Meadow 12 lbs. 
 
 Grass, Rough Stalked Meadow 14 lbs. 
 
 Hungarian 48 lbs. 
 
 Hemp seed 44 lbs. 
 
 Millet, German or Golden 50 lbs. 
 
 Millet 50 lbs. 
 
 Oats . .32 lbs. 
 
 Peanuts 22 lbs. 
 
 Peas, smooth 60 lbs. 
 
 Peas, wrinkled 56 lbs. 
 
 Rape 50 lbs. 
 
 Rye 56 lbs 
 
 Vetches or Tares. 60 lbs. 
 
 Wheat 60 lbs. 
 
 55 
 
Weight of miscellaneous articles per bushel. 
 
 Apples, dried 24 lbs. 
 
 Bran 20 lbs. 
 
 Coal, lump 80 lbs. 
 
 Coal, charcoal 20 lbs. 
 
 Corn meal 48 lbs. 
 
 Lime, unslacked 80 lbs. 
 
 Malt 38 lbs. 
 
 Onions ■ 56 lbs. 
 
 Peaches, dried 33 lbs. 
 
 Plastering, hair 8 lbs. 
 
 Potatoes, Irish 60 lbs. 
 
 Potatoes, sweet 46 lbs. 
 
 Salt, coarse 50 lbs. 
 
 Turnips 50 lbs. 
 
 Comparative Cost of Raising Corn 
 and Pork. 
 
 Table No. 9. 
 
 There is always a demand for information re- 
 garding the relative value of corn and pork. 
 Therefore, we submit the following as a guide in 
 such matters. 
 
 By the results of experiments, one bushel of 
 corn, weighing 56 pounds, will produce ten and 
 one-half pounds of pork. Deducting one-fifth to 
 come at the net weight, would give eight and 
 three-fifths pounds of pork as the product of one 
 bushel of com, or one pound of pork as the 
 product of six and two-thirds pounds of com. 
 
 The price of pork per pound at different prices 
 per bushel for com, shown. 
 
 Com per bushel. Pork per pound. 
 
 Cents. Cents. 
 
 12^ 1 .50 
 
 15 .... 1.78 
 
 17 2.00 
 
 20 2.38 
 
 22 2.62 
 
 66 
 
Corn per bushel. Pork per pound. 
 
 Cents. Cents. 
 
 25 2.96 
 
 30 3.57 
 
 33 3.92 
 
 35 4 .00 
 
 38 4.52 
 
 40 . . 4 .76 
 
 42 5 .00 
 
 45 5.35 
 
 50 5 .95 
 
 55 6.54 
 
 60 .....7.14 
 
 65 7.74 
 
 70 8.57 
 
 ■ By reversing the above, we can obtain the 
 price of com per bushel at different prices per 
 pound for pork. The use of the above compari- 
 son is obvious. For instance, should com be 
 selling for fifty cents per bushel, and pork for 
 only five cents per pound, it would be most 
 
 Erofitable to sell the com; but should the com 
 e selling at forty cents per bushel and pork for 
 six cents per pound, it would be most profitable 
 to reduce the com to pork, and sell the latter. 
 
 To find the price of pork per pound, taking the 
 price of corn per bushel as the standard, divide 
 the price of com by 8.40 (the number of pounds 
 of pork produced by a bushel of com). 
 
 To find the price of com per bushel, taking the 
 price of pork per pound, as the standard, mii1tir»1v 
 the price of a pound of pork by 8.40. 
 
 Depth of Sowing Wheat. 
 
 Table No 10. 
 
 The depth of sowing wheat must vary with 
 the soil. A thinner covering is required in a 
 heavy than in a light soil. Experiments give 
 the following results: 
 
 57 
 
Appeared No. of 
 
 above Plants that; 
 ground in Came Up 
 
 Seeds sown to depth of J inch 11 days | 
 
 Seeds sown to depth of 1 inch 12 days all 
 
 Seeds sown to depth of 2 inches 18 days |- 
 
 Seeds sown to depth of 3 inches 20 days | 
 
 Seeds sown to depth of 4 inches 21 days | 
 
 Seeds sown to depth of 5 inches 22 days f 
 
 Seeds sown to depth of 6 inches 23 days | 
 
 Table No. 11. 
 
 The number of plants, hills or trees contained 
 in an acre at given distances apart, from 3 inches 
 up to 66 feet. 
 Distance apart. Number, 
 
 3 inches by 3 inches 969,960 
 
 4 inches by 4 inches. 392,040 
 
 6 inches bv 6 inches 174,240 
 
 9 inches by 9 inches 77,440 
 
 1 foot by 1 foot 43,560 
 
 1 J feet by U feet 19,360 
 
 2 feet bv 1 feet 21,780 
 
 2 feet by 2 feet 10,890 
 
 2i feet by 2^ feet 6,960 
 
 3 feet by 1 foot 14,520 
 
 3 feet by 2 feet 7,260 
 
 3 feet by 3 feet 4,840 
 
 3i feet by 1 foot 12,446 
 
 3| feet by 2 feet 6,223 
 
 3| feet by 3 feet 4,148 
 
 3§ feet by 3* feet 3,555 
 
 4 feet by 1 feet 10,890 
 
 4 feet by 1^ feet 7,790 
 
 4 feet by 2 feet 5,445 
 
 4 feet by 2| feet 4,356 
 
 4 feet by 3 feet 3,630 
 
 4 feet by 4 feet 3,630 
 
 4 feet by 4 feet 2,722 
 
 4^ feet b3 4^ feet 2,151 
 
 5 feet by 3 feet 2,901 
 
 5 feet by 4 feet 2,178 
 
 5 feet by 5 feet 1,743 
 
 58 
 
Distance apart. Number. 
 
 5h feet by 5^ feet 1,417 
 
 6 feet by 6 feet 1,210 
 
 6J feet by 6^ feet 1,031 
 
 7 feet by 7 feet 881 
 
 8 feet by 1 foot 5,445 
 
 8 feet by 3 feet 1815 
 
 8 feet by 8 feet 680 
 
 9 feet bv 9 feet 537 
 
 10 feet by 1 foot 4,356 
 
 10 feet by 6 feet 726 
 
 10 feet by 10 feet 435 
 
 11 feet by 11 feet 360 
 
 12 feet by 1 foot 3,630 
 
 12 feet by 5 feet 736 
 
 12 feet by 12 feet 302 
 
 13 feet by 13 feet 257 
 
 14 feet by 14 feet 222 
 
 15 feet by 15 feet 194 
 
 16 feet by 1 foot 2,722 
 
 16 feet by 16 feet" 170 
 
 17 feet bv 17 feet 150 
 
 18 feet by 18 feet 134 
 
 19 feet by 19 feet 120 
 
 20 feet by 20 feet 108 
 
 25 feet by 25 feet 69 
 
 30 feet by 30 feet 48 
 
 33 feet by 33 feet 40 
 
 40 feet by 40 feet 27 
 
 50 feet by 50 feet 17 
 
 60 feet bv 60 feet 12 
 
 66 feet by 66 feet 10 
 
 59 
 
I 
 
FARMERS 
 
 who are dissatisfied 
 with their lot in life 
 
 and are thinking of making a change to a 
 country where they can better their agricul- 
 tural and horticultural conditions, should not 
 decide upon a location until they have con- 
 sulted the Agricultural and Horticultural 
 Commissioner of the great Rock Island-Frisco 
 Lines, for along these lines are to be found the 
 greatest farming country of the United States. 
 
 Write and tell me what class 
 of farming you wish to 
 engage in, and I will take 
 pleasure in helping you find 
 what you are seeking for. 
 
 Address 
 
 F. S. WHITE 
 
 Agricultural and Horticultural 
 Commissioner 
 
 Frisco Bldg. ST. LOUIS. MO, 
 
*orcHKY OF 
 
 QUES 002 765 722 9 
 FOR THE READER TO CONSIDER 
 
 1 Do you desire to live in the greatest 
 agricultural countiy in the world ? 
 
 2 Do you want to grow all of the grains, 
 grasses and clovers, as well as the other 
 great forage crops? 
 
 3 Do you grow stock and desire a country 
 where you can have winter pasture all 
 winter? 
 
 4 Do you want to live where you can have 
 an abundance of fine stock, water and 
 grass all the year round ; or, perhaps, 
 you are interested ia 
 
 HORTICULTURE. 
 
 and want to grow BIG, RED Apples, 
 the luscious Peach and Strawberry. 
 
 // so, remember that the country tributary 
 to the great Rock Island-Frisco Lines 
 offers unexcelled advantages for engaging 
 in any of these farm industries. 
 
 YOU can learn of this great agricultural 
 country by writing me and telling me 
 what you are looking for. 
 
 Address 
 
 F. S. WHITE 
 
 Agricultural and Horticultural 
 Commissioner 
 
 Frisco Bldg. ST. LOUIS, MO. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 DDDE7bS7EE'^