SEED DIVISION. 61 



Vegetables : There are two distinctive kinds of regetables gi-own here — winter and 

 spring. The early vegetable business is steadily increasing with the facilities for 

 marketing. All kinds of vegetables grown in the United States can be successfully 

 grown here at some time of the year. Seed can be planted at any time after the 

 heat of the summer, and suffers, as a general thing, no cheeky as the winter temper- 

 ature rai-ely falls below 50 degrees Fahrenlieit. 



GEORGIA. 



Grasses and forage plants : Very little attention is given to grasses in Eastern 

 Georgia. Lucerne is the best-paying clover we have; crab-grass and crow-foot 

 make excellent hay. Would like grasses in Southwest Georgia adapted to our 

 climate. In the western section Bermuda-grass was introduced some years ago; it 

 does not produce seed, but is easily propagated by the roots. Seven tons have been 

 produced to the acre. Our forage consists mosth' of oat straw. 



Grain : Rye, oats, and corn are our grain croj^s. Corn is planted in Marcli and 

 cotton in April. Kaffir corn is creating a gi-eat deal of excitement in AVcstern 

 Georgia. It has proved to be an excellent forage plant. The seed commands a 

 high price, but A\'ill be within tiie reach of all by another year. Indian corn is 

 l;u-gely used as a, forage plant in the northern section. Corn should be procured 

 from other localities and renewed every two or three years. Wheat is not as suc- 

 cessful here as in higher latitudes. Wheat is sown in the months of October and 

 November. Tiie Burt rust-proof oats are two weeks earlier than other oats, but 

 the heads are not as heavy. 



Vegetables : In Central Georgia dwarf peas, though not so fine flavored as some 

 others, are preferred. Among the best vai'ieties of squash are yellow crook-neck 

 and Boston marrow for fall and winter. Early varieties of Irish potatoes are best, 

 as two crops can be grown. The sweet-potato is entitled to more consideration. 

 The Government should import new varieties from South America. The sweet- 

 potato is deteriorating in the South, losing its keeping qualities from continual prop- 

 agation from cuttings and sprouts. Potatoes planted in I'ebruary mature in June. 

 A second crop planted August 10 will mature by frost. This crop keeps tln'ough 

 the winter and spring. Almost every variety of vegetables and fruit grow well 

 here. The time for so-wdng varies every year, owing to the difference in the .seasons ;' 

 therefore it is best to plaiijt and sow something every month. Fiat Dutch turnips 

 are in demand in the spring; yellow rutabaga and purple-top in the fall. In the 

 western part of Georgia caiTots and pai'snips are not gi'own. 



LOUISIANA. 



Grasses and forage plants : Millo maize, the sorghums, and millets may be grown 

 profitably either for gi-ain or forage crops, ■ Sorghum is planted in April ; millet is 

 soAvn in May or June. Teosinte bids fair to be one of our most valuable forage 

 plants. Rescue grass is good winter pasture. Crab-gi'ass makes our best hay. In 

 Southern Louisiana cow-pea is the principal reliance of the planters for hay. 



Grain : In the central part of the State the old reliable gourd-seed variety of corn 

 is the most popular. The flint variety, on account of its hardness, is I'arely planted, 

 except for Vjread. Oats are sown about the 10th of January. In the eastern sec- 

 tion red oats and rice are the principal grains. Rye and barley grow well, but are 

 not raised to any extent. Rye makes poor pasturage, and barley is of but little 

 value for the same purpose. Sorghum is extensively raised here for sirup and for- 

 age. Wiieat rusts, and but very little is so^vn. 



Vegetables : Most of the garden vegetables are planted between February and 

 April. The best peas in Eastern Louisiana are marrowfat; the dwarfs are not fruit- 

 ful enough to pay for culture. Drumhead and Flat Dutch cabbage, red-top and 

 white-globe turnips are the favorites. The pole bean and the black wax are i^refcr- 

 able. Watermelon seed from the Department of Agriculture the first year made a 

 poor sliOAv; the melons split open in the sim, but the year following melons were 

 raised from the same seed, many of wliich weighed over 4.0 pounds. Aspaiagus, 

 celery, carrots, and spinach do not come to perfection here. In Southwestern Lou- 

 isiana spring vegetables are sown from the ist to the 10th of March; fall -^ egetables 

 from the 1st to the 10th of August. There is a growing demand for the early vari- 

 eties of all kinds of vegetables. 



MAINE. 



Grasses and forage plants : Timothy and red clover were formerly the only grasses 

 sown, but of late years several other varieties have been added with satisfactory re- 



