REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 85 



individuals which have gjoater inherent vigor, and (2) in many places 

 it is now dillicult to grow red clover on land where it once grew well. 

 This dilhculty is commonly referred to as due to "clover-sick" land. 

 The trouble is very obscure, but in some cases is apparently caused 

 by a specific disease and in others by a complex of diseases. In 

 northern Alabama a farmer has growTi a selected clover successfully 

 for seventeen years or more on land where ordinary clover failed. 

 This success was obtained by saving the seed of the surviving plants 

 until a strain was established that succeeds perfectly. Apparently 

 this strain differs little from that bred by Professors Bain and Essary, 

 of the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station, for resistance to a 

 stem disease which seems to be the principal enemy of clover in that 

 State. The importance of the red-clover crop is such that extensive 

 breeding work of this sort is being prosecuted. 



New forage crops. — Many new forage crops from all parts of the 

 world are being tested each year. Only a few of these possess suffi- 

 cient value to compete wdth the crops now grown. In a few cases, 

 however, these introductions prove to be of striking value. At least 

 four such plants recently introduced have given such admirable 

 results that there can be little question that they will prove of great 

 value. 



Rhodes grass, while not entirely a new grass, has been heretofore 

 tested mainly in the arid regions, where it is not sufficiently hardy to 

 withstand the winters. The experience of the last tliree years has 

 shown that this grass is especially adapted to the Gulf Coast region, 

 particularly to Florida and southern Texas, where it not only with- 

 stands the winter, but grows continuousl}-. In southern Florida tlu^ee 

 cuttings have been made during the winter months, and as many as 

 six during the entire season. This grass has fine, upright stems and 

 good seed habits, so there is no reason why it may not be employed 

 as extensively as a meadow grass in the region to which it is adapted 

 as timothy is in the North. 



Sudan grass is a close relative of Johnson grass, but lacks entirely 

 the rootstocks which make Johnson grass so objectionable as a weed. 

 Sudan grass is a true bunch-grass, after the manner of timoth}', and 

 is just as easily handled. It g' :»ws taUer than ordinary Jolmson grass, 

 is very leafy, and produces splendid crops of seed. Depending on the 

 rainfall, it can be cut from two to three times in a season. 



Additional experience has verified the high estimate originally 

 placed upon the Yokohama bean. It is really an early velvet bean 

 which win mature its seeds as far north as Virginia and Kentucky 

 and will give all the intervening States a crop as valuable as the Flor- 

 ida velvet bean is in Florida. This variety is unusuall}' fruitful and 

 in the southernmost States will produce two crops of seed in a year. 



