GRASSES IN TEXAS 401 



clover, and this is followed by the Bermuda. Lespedeza, or Japan 

 clover does fairly well in the eastern part of the state. It like Ber- 

 muda is especially valuable to prevent hillside washing. It will 

 grow on very thin land and thrives on such land much better than 

 Bermuda, but it requires more rainfall and more sunshine to succeed 

 best. In the Panhandle, orchard grass and Kentucky bluegrass 

 do well. I would put Bermuda as the best for pasture in the 

 central and eastern part of the state. In the western part the mes- 

 quite grass and in the eastern part crab grass perhaps would be 

 second to Bermuda, this to follow rescue grass in the spring. 

 Lespedeza for summer pasture and bur clover for winter pasture 

 among the clovers. Of course where alfalfa can be grown it is 

 the best pasture clover, especially for hogs and almost equally good 

 for horses ; but Bermuda has so much wider adaptability that it is 

 superior even to alfalfa in general utility. Crab grass requires con- 

 siderable rainfall. It is of course in the nature of a farm pest, 

 especially detrimental to alfalfa. At the same time it affords good 

 fall pasturage and makes an excellent hay. 



For meadows, Johnson grass is perhaps superior to all others. 

 Buffalo grass or Colorado bottom grass makes an excellent hay, but 

 its growth is confined mainly to the southwestern part of the state. 

 It comes up as a volunteer in the cornfield after the last plowing; 

 is cut after the corn has been gathered, and is frequently more 

 valuable than the corn crop; but if put in a meadow alone at least 

 2 cuttings or perhaps 3 can be obtained. We have had most excellent 

 success with it at our Beeville station. In every part of the state 

 sorghum is a valuable hay plant. A mixture of native grasses 

 in the black prairie belt of the state, especially about Forney, fur- 

 nishes a valuable hay. This is true also of the coast prairie belt 

 from Beaumont to Victoria ; but south Texas hay is very much 

 less valuable than the north Texas hay, from native grass. Prac- 

 tically nothing has been done in this state in the way of fertilizing 

 hay meadows, but what has been done leads clearly to the conclu- 

 sion that cottonseed-meal scattered broadcast in the fall of the year, 

 or late winter, will give most beneficial results 300 to 500 pounds 

 per acre. Texas is so large with a corresponding variation of soil and 

 climate that it would be difficult within the limitations of a letter 

 to give more explicit information. 



The most favorable grass for summer pasture that we have is Ber- 

 muda, although alfalfa after it has been established two or three 



