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Show Sudan Grass Will Provide Pasture One Acre Supports Three or More Cows Until Frost; Grows Fast. By Earl Jones, intension Specialist In Agronomy. Ohio state University. wNU Serviae, Sudan grass, brought to America from Africa, promises to earn a prominent prom-inent place in agriculture. A dry weather crop, it furnishes pasture grass when the native blue grass succumbs suc-cumbs to drought. One acre of the crop will support three or more cows until frost. It is ready for pasturing five to- seven weeks after seeding. Sudan grass can be depended upon for midsummer pasture for sheep and' dairy cattle, and seed cost is not large; It provides pasture during the season sea-son that blue grass is In its resting period. Early preparation of the seedbed has proved important, and w seeding should not be delayed longer than Is necessary. Only one serious criticism has been offered of sudan grass. It 'is- sometimes some-times difficult to obtain a perfect stand. This fault can be corrected by shallow covering of the seed, by breaking up the soil crusts before germination, and by using good seed. The grass makes ai good growth on' unproductive soils, and: on. rich' soils attains a height of six or seven feet If allowed to go ungrazed. Pasturing may be begun at 12 to 15' Inches, a height attained usually five to seven weeks after seeding. Pasturing Pastur-ing after frost is not recommended. Reports tell of cattle being poisoned' by grazing on frosted1 sudan grass In. addition to furnishing pasture, the plant also may be harvested for hay when waist high. It has about the same feeding value as good timothy, timo-thy, and presents no special curing problems. The fertilizer treatment recommended recommend-ed consists of 150 to- 200' pounds of a. 2-12-6 or 4-12-4 on relatively poor soils at seeding time. Later, 75 to' 100' pounds an acre of sulfate of ammonia am-monia or other nitrogenous fertilizer is recommended for a' top dressing, If growth Is slow or the pasture Is heavily stocked. |