GULP COAST. 15 



areas may ))e pi'ofitahly devoted to meadow aiid pasture purposes. 

 It was desirable at lirst to tind what these nati^'e grasses were, the soil 

 and climatic conditions under which the}' flourish, and the forage value 

 of each, as well as the special purposes to which they were adapted. 

 There was also the question of the introduction of various cultivated 

 grasses and forage plants, and the testing of their adaptal)ility and 

 value. 



The climate of this region is so favorable to the growth of grasses 

 and forage plants that l)y proper succession pasture can be secured 

 during the whole .year, lience it was very desirable to ascertain what 

 plants were best adapted to each season, and what the most profitable 

 succession of seeding might be. Another question of great impor- 

 tance was the best method of improving and restoring the worn-out 

 soils by the cultivation of the various leguminous forage plants, such 

 as cowpeas, soy beans (PI. Ill, lig. 1), and clovers, which, while pro- 

 ducing large crops of ha}' or green forage, at the same time improve 

 the chemical and mechanical condition of the soil and act as fertilizers. 



WOKK DOXE. 



An investigation of these various problems AVfus begun by tlie Divi- 

 sion immediately after its organization and has been continued every 

 season since. The first work was done hy jNIr. Kearney, who visited 

 various places in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia, besides the other 

 points mentioned in referring to the field work done in the Atlantic 

 coast region. A large collection of the grasses and forage plants of 

 this region was made. Valua])le information was secured by observa- 

 tion and careful field studies and also by interviews with various people 

 familiar with the conditions and problems in question. The great value 

 of the native hay and pasture grasses was definitely ascertained, as 

 well as the possibilities in the way of introduction, cultivation, and 

 more general use of the ' ' ttime " grasses and forage plants adapted to 

 the \arious localities. The residts of this field work were published 

 in Bulletin No. 1 of this Division, entitled ''Notes on the Grasses and 

 Forage Plants of the Southeastern States.'' Notes on the most impor- 

 tant grasses and forage plants for various purposes are given, also a 

 complete list of all the grasses collected. 



Prof. S. M. Tracy, formerly director of the Mississippi Agricultural 

 Experiment Station, Avho from his long experience in the South and 

 careful study of its forage problems was especially fitted for the work, 

 was engaged to undertake an investigation of the forage conditions 

 and questions of the Gulf States for this Division. He has done a 

 large amount of field work in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louis- 

 iana, and eastern Texas, giving attention to all the various phases of 

 the forage problems of the region. The results of this work were 

 published as Bulletin No. 1.5 of this Division, entitled "A Heport upon 



