26 



When once estalilishecl, it is somewhat difficult to eradicate, and this is occasionally 

 an objection to its general cultivation. The best method of destroying it is to plow 

 the ground immediately after the hay is cut, leaving it as rough as possible. Plow 

 again in November and sow to oats, and when that crop is harvested plow again 

 and sdw thickly with cowpeas, which will smother the few plants which may have 

 survived the oats and will leave the land in hue condition for any future croj). 

 'l\ui for ton, Bermuda grass has a feeding value fully equal to that of the best 

 timothy, and many horsemen prefer it to any other hay. 



Broom-sedges. — The Broom- 

 sedges are among the character- 

 istic grasses of the Gulf States, 

 no less than forty species and 

 varieties being found there. All 

 have the same general character, 

 yielding a great amount of graz- 

 ing and hay of fair quality if cut 

 early, but becoming dry, hard, 

 and woody with the development 

 of the flowering stems, and al- 

 most worthless in the late au- 

 tumn. Some species are among 

 the most common of the large 

 grasses in the dry pine barrens, 

 while others grow only in the 

 damp savannahs, or act as sand 

 binders on the island sand dunes. 

 Under continued pasturing they 

 give way to other grasses, and 

 only two or three make their 

 apjiearance again in fields which 

 have been once cviltivated. All 

 are perennials, but are killed by 

 the first plowing. 



l>ui Blue-stem {Audropogon 

 provincialiH) (fig. 5.). — Usually in 

 clumps, from large, coarse root- 

 stocks; stems 3 to (5 feet in height, 

 with several branches, more or 

 less purple in color; leaves long 

 and abundant, smooth or hairy; 

 spikes 2 to 1, digitate at the sum- 

 mit of the branches; spikelets 

 sparsely covered with rusty or 

 yellowish hairs. 

 This is the most valuable species in the group and is used more largely for hay 

 than any other. If cut when the flowering stems are not more than half grown it 

 makes excellent hay, but, unfortunately, it reaches that stage at a tinu) when most 

 planters an; crowded with work in the cotton fields, and hence is usually cut too 

 late to make forage of the best quality. It has a large cluster of tender root-leaves 

 which cure on tlie i)lant and remain there during the winter, forming an important 

 addition to the winter forage. While there arc other gra.sses which are better worth 

 cultivating, the spontaneous growth of this is valuable. 



l'>K()()K-GiiAs.s (Audropogon glomeratm). — Most abundant <>n uuirshes :ind low 

 ground; steins large and coarse, 2 to 6 feet iiigli, brandling much toward the sum- 

 mit; leaves very long, rather wide, smooth, and glaucous, or hairy; spikes usually 

 densely crowded afc the summit of the .stem, 



I'lO. 5. — Big Jiliie-stem (Andropogon provincialis) . 



