354 MEADOWS AND PASTURES 



turage. The best time for sowing is the latter part of September 

 or early part of October. It is not unfavorably affected by acidity 

 of the soil. 



Cow peas. The cowpea must be ranked as the legume of first 

 importance in the South. Its chief value is as a hay plant and a 

 soil-improving crop. It is also valuable for the production of 

 seed and for pasturage. The pasturage season is very short and 

 as a rule the crop is used for pasturage only incidentally, for 

 example, when live stock is turned into a cornfield where cow- 

 peas have grown as a catch-crop between the corn rows. 



Lespedeza. This is adapted to almost every grade of soil and 

 to the entire range of climate throughout the cottonbelt. It is 

 useful almost exclusively for pasturage, although on very rich 

 land in seasons of abundant rainfall it grows tall enough to be 

 mowed, when it makes a grade of hay equal to alfalfa. This is 

 an annual, which, however, reseeds freely, even when closely 

 grazed. When first introduced into a field the seed should be sown 

 on prepared land in February or March, either among the grow- 

 ing oats or alone, using about one bushel per acre of the seed 

 still in the hull. Lespedeza should form a part of practically all 

 pasture mixtures for the South. 



Bur Clover. This is a winter-growing annual legume which 

 reseeds itself, provided it be lightly grazed, or not grazed at 

 all, during the period of seed formation in April and May. The 

 seed of the southern variety is obtainable only in the bur; that is, 

 uncleaned. In this condition it requires no inoculation on any 

 soil, but requires very early sowing, preferably in August, so 

 as to give time for the rotting of the burs. Seed of the California 

 variety may be obtained either in the bur or in the threshed con- 

 dition, both kinds of California clover seed apparently requiring 

 inoculation on most southern soils. Here again the burs need to be 

 sown early, but the threshed seed may be sown a month later, or 

 in September. Inoculating soil for bur clover is obtained from 

 an old field of bur clover or of alfalfa. 



Hairy Vetch. This annual winter-growing legume is useful either 

 for hay or pasturage, and also for soil-improvement It is best 

 grown in combination with either oats or wheat, the mixture be- 

 ing cut for hay. The seed may be sown throughout September 

 and October in most parts of the cottonbelt and the hay cut in 

 May. Sow about one-half bushel of vetch seed with the usual 



