GRASSES FOR THE SOUTH. 335 



live stock, as the winters are so short and mild little hay need be 

 cut and stored. 



Rev. C. W. Howard of Georgia, J. B. Killebrew of Tennessee, 

 and Dr. I). L. Pliares of Mississippi, have each written valuable 

 books concei'ning grasses for the South, and these books have 

 been well received and extensively purchased. 



Mr. Howard says : " It is a significant fact that the rich lands 

 in upper Georgia, in wliich a mixed husbandry prevails, have 

 rather increased in vcAue than decreased since the war. The 

 depression in price has occurred only inlands devoted to exclusive 

 cotton and rice cultures both of ivhich require a large amount of 

 labor. In the South land is very very cheap, while at the North 

 land ranges from $50 to $200 per acre. He looks to England, 

 Holland, or Belgium„ and finds it averaging from $300 to $500 

 per acre. Why this difference? Is the land in these countries 

 better than ours? Not by nature; if it be better it is by the dif- 

 ference in treatment. Is their climate better than ours? The 

 acknowledged superiority is on our side. Are the prices of their 

 products any better than oursr On an average not so good. 

 Are their taxes lighter than ours? it we were compelled to pay 

 their tax, either at the Nortri ur !n England our land would at 

 once be sold for taxes„ Have they valuable crops which they 

 can raise and Avhich we cannot raise? There is ^lot a farm 

 product in either old or new England which we cannot raise in 

 equal perfection at the South. Is their labor cheaper than ours? 

 The cost of labor at the North nearly doubles the cost of labor at 

 the South. If, then, all these things are so, why is it that their 

 land is so valuable and ours so valueless? If we take the map of 

 the United States and put our finger upon tlie State or parts of 

 States in which land sells at the highest price, we shall find that 

 in those States or parts of States the greatest attention is paid to 

 the cultivation of the grasses and forage plants. If we open the 

 map of Europe we shall find the same rule holds good. The 



