46 



This is tlie best leguminous forage plaut which has been found for light sandy soils, 

 and it makes a vigorous growth on soils too light for most other crops. Its primi- 

 pal use is as a grazing plaut, stock of all kinds grazing it freely and fattening rap- 

 idly where tlie phmt is abundant. As it does not begin its gmwth until late in tlit^ 

 spring and is killed by moderate frosts, it is valuable only during the summer and 

 fall. It often grows as a volunteer with crab-grass and crowfoot on cultivated 

 lands, and is then cut for hay. When used for hay, it should be cut when only 2 or 

 3 feet high, as the stems become hard and woody as the plant grows older. Besides 

 its use as a hay and grazing ])lant it is a valuable fertilizing crop, and the seed is 

 often scattered in corn tields at their lust cultivation. When sown for hay, from six 

 to eight pounds of seed are used per acre, and after land has once been seeded it 

 seldom needs reseeding, though the plant never becomes a troublesome weed. 



Several other species of Desmoditim are found, usually in dry woodlands, through- 

 out the entire region. Among the more common of these are D. acuminatum, vudi- 

 florum, paucijiorum, and riridifiorum. All are eaten 

 fairly well and add considerably to the woodland 

 pastures, but are rarely abundant. 



Groundnut (Jpios tuherosa). — Perennial ; stems 

 climbing; leaflets .5 to 7, ovate or ovate-lanceolate; 

 brownish-purple flowers in axillary racemes. 

 Common in wooded swamps from Mississippi to 

 Florida and northward. Eaten by all kinds of 

 stock, hogs being very fond of the small tubers 

 on the roots. 



Hog Peanut (Amphicarpwa monoica). — Peren- 

 nial; climbing; leaflets 3; flowers of two kinds — 

 those on the stems in drooping racemes and 

 sterile, those at the base fertile, fruiting under- 

 ground. Occasional in rich, damp woods from 

 Mississippi to Florida and northward. The vines 

 are eaten by cattle, and hogs are fond of the 

 underground nuts. 



Horse Beau {Faha vulgaris). — Annual; stems 

 erect, 2 to 3 feet; leaflets 3, oval, smooth and 

 glaucous; flowers in small axillary clusters; pods 

 2 to 4 inches long. 



Highly prized in Europe, but not successful 

 here, as the plants are usually destroyed by blight 

 at about the time they begin to bloom. 



Jack Bean (Canavalia ensiformis). — Annual; 

 stems erect, bushy, rather stout; leaflets 3, large; 

 flowers few, in dense axillary racemes; pods 3 

 to () in a cluster, a foot or more in length ; seeds 

 large, white. 



This came into notice about 1890, and since then has been planted in many places. 

 The growth of the plaut is all that could Ije asked, and the yield of bc^ans is from 

 30 to .")() l)ush(;ls per acre; but, unfortnnately, iieitLer the beans nor tli(^ jdants are 

 eaten well. At the Mississippi station the beans were fed in many ways — dry, 

 soaked, ground into meal, and cooked — but neither horses, mules, cattle, nor hogs 

 would eat them. 



Japan Clover (Lespedeza striata) (fig. 17). — Annual; stem branching, slender and 

 wiry, 3 to 24 inches; leaves very nunnTous, small; flowers small, in axillary clusters. 

 This may be classed among the most valuable leguminous hay and pasture ]>lants of 

 the (iulf .States. It is a native of .lajian, wliicli was introduc<>(l into tliis country 

 about 1830, and is now thoroughly naturalized over the whole country south of the 

 Ohio Kiver. It grows on all soils, liut does best on good loams containing a fair 



Fig. 17.— Japan clover (Lespedeza 

 striata). 



