22 Farmers' Bulletin 1126.

These yields represent rather accurately the possibilities of seed production in different parts of the United States. Of course, certain localities are better suited to seed production than others. In Lubbock, Crosby, Floyd, Hale, and Swisher Counties in Texas the seed yields average about 600 pounds per acre for Sudan grass planted in rows, as compared with an average for the entire nonirrigated lands in the dry regions of only 270 pounds per acre. After the market demands for Sudan grass seed become better established, the seed production will no doubt be centered in favored localities, as it now is for such crops as Kentucky bluegrass, timothy, orchard grass, vetch, and alfalfa.

The planting of Sudan grass for seed production has already been described. Harvesting the seed is accomplished most economically with an ordinary grain binder or a row binder. Harvesting with a row binder is illustrated on the title-page. When the seed is practically mature, Sudan grass can be cut and bound like grain and left to cure in shocks. It may then be hauled directly to the thrashing machine or stacked in the same manner as bundle grain. There is danger in stacking Sudan grass, however, because the sap in the stems dries out slowly, and if stacked before it has cured thoroughly the grass will heat in the stack and injure the viability of the seed. Growers usually find it best, therefore, to allow the Sudan grass to remain in the shock until they are ready to thrash. The use of shock covers results in a much brighter, better quality of seed.

The ordinary grain separator thrashes and cleans Sudan grass seed very satisfactorily. Care must be observed to so regulate the air blast as to prevent seed from being blown over into the straw pile. A clover huiler also has been used with success in thrashing Sudan grass, but seed thrashed in a clover huiler is likely to be rather completely freed from the hulls and therefore weigh much heavier than ordinary seed.

The weight of the seed varies from 25 to 40 pounds per bushel. Good clean seed should weigh 36 to 40 pounds to the bushel, and such seed will pass through the feed of an ordinary grain drill without clogging.

Owing to the unusual success with Sudan grass in 1912 and 1913, the price of seed was high during the winter of 1913-14. Retail seed merchants asked $1.50 to $2 a pound for the seed, and fanners were paid 50 cents to $1.50 a pound for seed in bulk. The retail price of Sudan grass seed for the last two or three years has varied from 12 to 20 cents a pound, and fanners have sold their supply at 10 to 15 cents a pound. It can be grown profitably at these prices, especially if the grower utilizes the thrashed Sudan grass as forage for his live stock