Show GREEN FEED FOR HENS sudan grass found to be satisfactory for poultry no other summer crop can take its place in poultry yard young shoots are tender and easily broken grows rapidly by it N HARVEY texas agricultural college sudan grass although a new crop is given a high place in the list of green crops suitable for poultry it was planted primarily as a pasture crop but rapidly assumed other uses equal in importance to the f first one now no other summer crop can take its place in the poultry yards it would woul 1 in fact require a combination of several crops to give the satisfaction obtained bained d from a crop of sudan grass As a forage crop it Is excellent the young shoots are very tender ind and easily broken As in the case of other grains the new shoots are arc preferred to the larger leaves yet the low fiber content renders the larger leaves brittle brittie and much more available than the leaves of most other forage crops of the same age the rapidity with ellich this grass grows is surprising few crops are able to keep pace gitil it it is almost impossible for the fowls to keep the grass short and two or three cuttings can be made during the season the th e hay makes a good litter for the laying house the rapid growth lias has another decided and quite important advantage in keeping the fields free from weeds after the first cultivation there should be but few weeds found in the field xv the crul crop grows more rapidly than most 0 st weeds eds we and the tops soo soon n meet above the rows shutting out roost most of the direct rays of the sun thus the weeds are and it is not so difficult to keep them cut away A point not to be overlooked Is the shade furnished by the grass it Is not uncommon to find a whole flock in the shelter of tile the sudan grass while none can be found under the trees A small stand left uncut will vill furnish enough shelter sli olter for the ordinary sized nock flock A white hen within a foot of the border of the standing crop can scarcely be seen by a person 10 feet away F few ew if any plants are superior to sudan grass is as shade producers the relative feeding value of sudan grass for poultry has not been determined but all indications tend to show that it Is a welcome addition to the pasture crops for poultry |