18 SUDAN GRASS.

We cultivated the Sudan grass with a 5-tooth cultivator, very shallow the first time, May 25. Second cultivation, June <;. Light rain, not enough to sprout tlic dry seed still in the ground. June 20, cultivated the third time with 5-tooth cultivator, shallow. July 1, cultivated the grass the fourth and the last time. Being anxious to save the seed of this grass and thinking that every day would bring a rain to mature the seed 1 left it growing till August 18. On that date the grass was s feet <i inches high and so dense was the growth one could not pass between the 3-foo1 rows.

I wish to state that on the same date, on the same land, and under the very same conditions, I planted kafir corn, milo maize, sorghum, and corn. All of these completely died out ; they could not withstand the terrible heat and drought. The thermometer registered from June 1 to the date of this report (September 4, 1912) 105° to 110° F. in the shade. All vegetation was sear and dead except Johnson grass, which grew from 1 foot to 18 inches high. Sudan grass showed no effects of the drought except the seed heads, which remained white.

I do not know how far north this grass will grow, but I am satisfied there is no place too hot or dry for it if there is moisture enough to sprout the seed.

I am a stockman and I have been testing grasses and clovers for the last 35 years, with the result that I had to fall back on the sorghums, the very thing I was trying to avoid.

Additional data were supplied in a supplemental report dated January 24, 1913.

I herewith send you a supplemental report on the Sudan grass. The grass was first cut on August 14, 1912. It made a large amount of feed. I would say at the rate of 4 tons per acre.

A few days after being cut it began to grow from the stubble. Having no rain it grew slowly until Sepember 21, 1912. On that date we had our first rain since June, 1912. After that date it began to grow quickly until November 6, 1912. November 1, 2, and 3 we had a severe frost which did not seem to hurt it at all. November G, a dry blizzard came down on us. Being afraid I was going to lose the grass, I cut it and tied it. still green, in bundles and hauled it to the barn, where it cured and made me plenty of fine feed, it being 4 feet high at the time of cutting. If I had cut this at the proper time to make good feed, i. e., when the seed was in the boot, I could have cut it four times instead of twice, but I was anxious to save the seed. The terrible drought blasted the first crop and the frost prevented the second from maturing.

1 I exhibited at the Boerne fair, September 6 and 7, 1912. a bunch of this grass that measured 10J feet high. Agents of the Agricultural Department, College Station. Tex.. who acted as judges at the Boerne fair, were astonished. They told me they had the grass drilled just as I had drilled mine and it only grew 4 feet high for them.

Dr. W. O. Langdon, of Hutehins, Tex., grew Sudan grass in 1911 and again in 1912. He thus reported his 1912 results, under date of August 18: The seed received this spring was planted in a little piece of ground in rows about 30 inches apart. It made a fine growth of an average of 6 feet. Much of it was nearly S feet high. When seed was ripe, about August 1. I cut it. It immediately began a second growth and is now nearly .'! feet high. The ground is covered with young plants from Shattered seed. I think it is the greatest forage plant ever introduced into this section and that it will be worth millions to 1 The blasting of the seed referred to by Mr. McCarthy is perhaps due to the work of the sorghum midge, which attacks Sudan grass, like other sorghums.

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