2. Lespedesa or Japanese Clover This plant is not native to 

 the State, but is thoroughly naturalized, and exhibits a marked 

 tendency to take possession of old red hills and waste lands gen- 

 erally. It forms a thick mat, and if encouraged the least bit 

 will carpet level land, hills and washes alike. It reaches down the 

 gully slopes from above, takes possession of the bottom and 

 creeps up to meet the carpet on the upper slopes, until the whole 

 surface is captured. The wash is stopped and gradually fills. 



This plant is a very valuable forage both when cut for hay 

 and when pastured. Besides, being a legume its nitrogen-gather- 

 ing tubercles enrich the soil. If not already growing there, it 

 should be sown in all old fields turned out to pasture. The seeds 

 can easily be obtained, and once set it reseeds itself. 



The expression, "Fields turned out to pasture," should be 

 corrected. Under no conditions should lands be "turned, out." 

 If fields prove no longer profitable used in farm crops it may be 

 converted into pasture or a forest crop, giving it due attention 

 and care. While a pasture or a forest may require less attention 

 and labor than a farm crop, to be remunerative they must receive 

 proper care. Under no circumstances must washing be allowed 

 to begin, to prevent which the land must be kept well covered 

 with its proper growth. Do not let your forage plant get thin in 

 your pasture, nor your trees in your forest. 



3. Bermuda Grass As a forage and as a hay this grass is at 

 least equal to the Lespedesa, and its power of capturing and 

 stopping washes is even greater. It must be a very rapidly 

 washing gully that Bermuda will not stop with its long knotty 

 lace-like root-stocks. These grow very rapidly, reach out in every 

 direction and root at every joint, and if for a few days the soil 

 stops shifting the grass begins to lock it in its myriad fingers. 

 Its power to stop washing is remarkable and best seen in the 

 Bluff Hills between Vicksburg and Natchez. 



The farmer of Mississippi has heretofore dreaded Bermuda 

 grass, but it is one of his best friends ; it feeds- his stock and poul- 



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