FORAGE PLANTS FOR SOUTHERN STATES. 97 



for hay, though when used for soiling while fresh, they are suthciently 

 tender to be eaten well. Its abundance of leaves and unusually large 

 proportion of seeds make it one of the richest foods we have grown, 

 and were it not for the large stalks we should value it highly; but the 

 hay is difficult to cure, the seeds and leaves drop badly in handling, 

 and few animals will eat the bare, coarse stems. It has made its best 

 growth on rich river-bottom soils, and has not been satisfactory when 

 planted on thin or light soils. It fruits less abundantly in the extreme 

 South than further north, and Ave have found no locality where it 

 equals the cowpea for hay. Seed should be sown in drills 3 ft. apart, 

 at the rate of a half bushel per acre, and at any time from May to July. 

 If sown broadcast, double the amount of seed should be used. 



Promising grasses. — Among the hundreds of species which have been 

 tested since the inauguration of this work there are many which are 

 very promising, but which have not yet been grown a sufficient length 

 of time or on sufficient areas to determine their real values or the uses 

 to which each is best adapted, though from present indications a num- 

 ber of these recent introductions will find a permanent idace among 

 our forage plants. Bush lespedeza {Lespedeza cyrtobotrya), from Japan, 

 is a shrubby plant which grows from 6 to 10 ft. in height, and is val- 

 uable for woods pastures, though not suitable for hay or for land which is 

 to be plowed. Eed lYcimc {Pan icum roseum), from Australia, grows vig- 

 orously, bears drought well, and makes good late pasture on dry soils. 

 Teft" {Eragrostis ahyssinica), which is grown very extensively in India, 

 makes a heavy yield of fine hay when grown from imported seeds, but 

 seed grown in this country has so far germinated poorly. Colorado 

 turkey-foot {Afulropogon lialUi) is one of the few Western species which 

 has done well on soils too dry and hard to support redtop, and prom- 

 ises well for pasture lands. Large bunch grass {Sporoholus airoides), 

 tall mesquit {Bouteloua racemosa), purple water grass {Paspalum pur- 

 purascens), and Mexican ijanic {Panicum palmeri), are other species 

 which have given good results in a few localities. 



Undesirable species. — Many species which have succeeded well in 

 more northern States and which are often recommended for general 

 cultivation have been planted, but with unsatisfactory results. Among 

 these have been tall oat grass {Arrhenatherum elatius), which makes 

 only a moderate growth, disappearing at the end of the second season; 

 velvet grass {HoIchs lanatus), which is usually very scattering in its 

 growth and is not relished by stock; meadow fescue {Festuca pratensis), 

 which does fiiirly well the first season, but has never made even a half 

 cro^j the second season; crested dog-tail ((7i/»o.s?<r*is cristatus), meadow 

 foxtail {Alopeciinis j>r«iew«is), rough-stalked meadow grass {Poa trici- 

 alls), and wood meadow grass {Poa nemoralis), all of which die on the 

 first apjiroach of hot weather; and many of the sheep fescues {Festuca 

 ovina), which yield only a small amount of grazing early in the spring. 



Of the scores of foreign grasses which have been tested and i)roved 

 worthless no mention need be made, and there are many others which, 



